


Estranged

by SeverusSnapeismyBFF



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Voldemort, Draco Malfoy in the Muggle World, Drug Addiction, M/M, Memories, Relapsing, draco is a muggle, harry is a wizard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-02
Updated: 2016-07-02
Packaged: 2018-07-19 13:57:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 27,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7364128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeverusSnapeismyBFF/pseuds/SeverusSnapeismyBFF
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“My name is Draco Malfoy-Potter, and I am your son’s husband.”</p><p>Eleven simple words. Who knew they could change so much?</p><p>The Potter's and their friends had been in mourning and they were overcoming it eight years later.<br/>You see, in 2008, a potions addicted Harry overdosed on muggle drugs and after he was released from St Mungos, he disappeared without a trace. He was declared dead in 2009.</p><p>In 2016, after a large family gathering, the wards surrounding the Potter residence were breached: by a muggle.<br/>That muggle was Draco Malfoy who was there to inform the Potter's about Harry's current condition: Not good.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prolouge

**Author's Note:**

> This story has been eating away at my brain for weeks. Finally, after many rough drafts and deleted works, here it is. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> My friend is my beta

On the walls of a modest house, pictures were hung all over. Pictures of a young couple at their wedding, pictures of three men in school uniforms, pictures of two children, a young boy and a baby girl, pictures of a happy family that was full of love. Some of the pictures moved, some of them didn’t. Some of them contained a boy with unruly, black hair and some of them didn’t. As the young girl with similar hair seemed to age in the pictures, the less the boy appeared. Sometimes, he would be in the pictures, a tired smile on his face, or a scowl. The more the two aged, the skinnier the older boy became, until he disappeared from the pictures all together.

James and Lily Potter were preparing dinner in their kitchen. Their daughter Maria had been at Hogwarts for seven years now and yet it was still strange, having the house to themselves, but they loved it. It meant they could have sex wherever and whenever they wanted to. Unless of course, like tonight, they had visitors. Remus and Sirius were over helping prepare dinner for the approaching gathering.

Water was boiling, sauce was simmering, meat was browning, and alcohol was chilling while the two adults danced around the kitchen. Remus was preparing the salad, and Sirius was being so helpful by entertaining that cat.

“Sirius, can you do _anything_ to help?” Lily asked as she wiped her hands on her apron.

“I _am_ helping, Lils. Can’t you see that I am taming this godforsaken beast?”

Lily rolled her eyes. “Freckles, out.” She said to the cat, who meowed and made her way out of the kitchen slowly.

“I can’t believe that Harry named that cat Freckles. She’s completely black.”

James cringed slightly at the mention of Harry. “Yeah, well. He was 15 years old and he got her to impress Ginny. Ginny had freckles. You can see how the name correlates with his unbidden love.”

James laughed. “I suppose so. Alright, Remmy, let me chop those tomatoes.”

“Don’t call me Remmy.” Remus said, handing him a serrated edged knife.

The four of them worked quietly then, finishing in the next twenty minutes.  Lily began setting the table designated for the adults, and Remus began setting the table designated for the children. Shortly after, their guests began arriving.

Laughter began to ring through the home as the guests piled into the house that seemed to expand every time a new person walked through it.

“Hermione!” Lily exclaimed as she pulled the young woman into her arms. Hermione had been like Lily’s second daughter throughout Harry’s school years, Hermione having befriended her son and Ron Weasley while they were in Hogwarts.

“’Lo, Lily.” Ron drawled from beside Hermione, Hugo in his arms. 

“Hello, Ron!” Lily pulled him into a hug as well, struggling to keep Hugo’s hand out of her hair.

“Please, make yourself at home. Dinner is almost ready.” Lily smiled, leading the pair into the home that they had very nearly grown up in.

“Lily! The casserole is burning!” James called, panic flooding his voice.

Teddy Lupin was playing tag with Rose Weasley, occasionally being yelled at by the adults to _not run in the house, go outside for chrissake!_

Molly Weasley bustled into the kitchen, carrying a pan of rolls and levitating a second pan behind her. “Sorry I’m late, Lily. Arthur wouldn’t let me apparate with the rolls, _insisting_ we take that muggle car.”

“That’s okay, Molly. Hello, Arthur. So good to see you again.” She kissed Arthur’s cheek and grabbed the levitating pan from the air. “These have a stasis charm on them?”

“Of course, dear!” Molly said, fussing with her messy hair.

“James!” Frank Longbottom shouted, grabbing James into a hug.

“Frank! Long time no see! You weren’t here last time we all got together!”

“I know, I know. My mother insisted that if Alice and I didn’t come over _that day and help me tend my garden I’m going to drop dead.”_

“She’s always been a bit dramatic. Hello James, Lily.” Alice said, handing a tin of pudding over to Lily and grabbing the second tin out of the air.

“That she has.” Lily laughed as she made her way back into the kitchen that should have been dangerously over full.

A few short minutes later found Ginny Longbottom towing three children into the house, and Neville Longbottom behind, carrying three large platters of snacks and dip.

“Alexander, Desirae, and Rachel! Why don’t you go find your cousins? Hi Lily, James.”

“Hello, dear.”

“The kids are out back with Sirius and Remus.” James said, ushering the kids out the back door.

“Anything I can help with, Lily?” Ginny asked the older woman.

“Yes, if you would please could you begin arranging the food? They should all have stasis charms.”

“Of course.” Ginny smiled.

                                                                                                …

Dinner had come and gone, as had most of the guests. Sirius and Remus had to force their son, Teddy, to leave his friends and go home. Ron and Hermione remained, their children tuckered out and sleeping in the room that used to be Harry’s. Ginny had stayed back for tea with her brother and sister in law, leaving Neville to take the kids with him to his parent’s house. Molly had opted to go home with Arthur after they had finished cleaning up the disaster that had been the kitchen.

It was well past ten o’clock by the time James and Lily joined the younger generation in the lounge.

“How is Maria?” Ron asked around his scotch.

“She’s doing very well. She says in her letters that she studies more than anything, she’s determined to get all NEWT’S so that she can become the next potions master at Hogwarts. Slughorn is very impressed. I received a letter from him the other day singing her praise.”

“She always showed such an interest in potions while we were here during the summer. Sometimes, she would even resort to helping Harry with his homework. The girl was amazing.” Hermione gushed, proud of the girl that was basically her younger sister.

Ron laughed. “She’s right, you know. Harry was rubbish at potions. I could never understand myself, but he just didn’t care. It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it?” Ron let the question hang in the air, the atmosphere turning slightly awkward.

“She said that she wants to find ingredients that are safer for consumption in large amounts, to prevent reliance.” James said, rubbing Lily’s back absently.

“Does that have to do with…You know?” Ron asked awkwardly.

“Due to Harry? Nah, I don’t think so. She was so very young when it all started. I don’t think she remembers Harry as anything other than her hero big brother.” James said somberly.

“Alexander looks more and more like Harry every day, I swear.” Ginny began. “It gets harder, because the boy is so smart. He’s begun to notice the differences between him and his sisters, and the fact that his mother has bright red hair and pale skin, and his father has blonde hair and a light complexion as well. He’s started to ask why his complexion and hair are so much darker. I don’t know how to answer the questions, honestly. Neville is his father in every way other than DNA.”

“I think he knows that,” said Lily. “The boy adores Neville, and for good reason. Perhaps…” She trailed off. “I don’t think it would hurt him to begin to tell him the truth. Harry has been declared de- He’s been _officially_ gone for nearly seven years now. I can’t see it causing any problems.”

Conversation didn’t tend to drift toward the topic of James and Lily’s son. Actually, the topic was generally avoided by everyone, to avoid hurt.

“ _It’s doesn’t hurt to talk about him from time to time, try to remember the good and not the bad.”_ Their grief counselor had coached.

“I miss him, sometimes.” Ron said.

There were murmurs of agreement when suddenly a loud wailing indicated that their wards had been breached; by a muggle.

“Don’t worry, the guest room is still soundproofed from when it was Harry’s. We still can’t get the bloody charm off. The kids are probably still asleep.” James said after he silenced the noise.

James made his way to the door. “It’s rare that a muggle gets through the wards. I’ll see what they need. Hopefully everything is okay.” He opened the door and was faced with a tall young man that appeared to be in his late twenties. He had red rimmed eyes and his blond hair was tousled, as if he had run his hands through it too many times. He wore muggle jeans and a muggle t-shirt. His appearance, all in all, was rough.

“James Potter?” The man asked. James was immediately on alert. Why did this muggle know who he was?

“Yes, that’s me.”

“James! Why don’t you show the guest into the house? It’s freezing out, and he seems to have been through something rough.”

James lowered his eyes suspiciously, and stepped aside.

“Thank you, Ma’am. I appreciate it.”

“Of course! Would you like some tea?”

The man nodded in agreement as he walked into the lounge with Lily. James, with his trained auror eyes, followed the two and began assessing for a threat. He found none. 

“Please, take a seat. We were all just sitting down to tea and scotch.” Lily said, subtly spelling the moving pictures still. “How can we help you? Is your vehicle broken down?”

“No, well, at least not this one. I’m sorry. My name is Draco Malfoy-Potter.” Shocked murmurs made their way throughout the others, who were still seated in the lounge. “My name is Draco Malfoy-Potter, and I am your son’s husband.” 


	2. Confronting the Past

                                                …

                                                                _5:00 PM that Day: Royal London Hospital_

                                                                                                …

Draco Malfoy sat with his head in his hands. His eyes were red and puffy, and he had snot stains on his shirt. He couldn’t do this; he couldn’t handle losing Harry.

_He’s not dead yet._ The voice niggled at Draco from the back of his head.

He was very near dead, however.

That morning, Draco Malfoy had been working at his desk near his supervisors when they had both received an urgent page from the emergency room. There had been a five car pile-up on the interstate this morning and they needed extra hands. Draco and his residential supervisor made their way to the ER and were faced with utter chaos. There was blood all over the floor, crying children, and mourning spouses and parents. Of course, this wasn’t Draco’s first time in a situation like this, so it didn’t faze him; much.

“Doctor Malfoy!” A nurse he knew well, Deborah, called out to him. “Please take these patients. They are some of the more serious ones that require a doctor present.”

He flipped through the files and began making his way round the room. By the sixth file, he was tired. Three of the patients had already died, and another one was close.

He walked to the next privacy partition, nurse in tow, and opened the curtain, not even so much as glancing at the file that was once in his hands. It was now on the floor, coated in sick and blood.

“Doctor Malfoy?” The nurse said, anger rising in her eyes at the hesitancy in his work.

Draco finally broke out of his gaze and ran to the side of the bed. “Harry?!” He had said. “Harry!” He shouted. His training instincts had told him to be calm and assess the situation and ask for help, but his instincts as a husband were taking over. Lying in the bed was Harry Potter, intravenous fluids dripping through their tubes and into his arm and throughout his bloodstream, a sling holding his leg up, a nurse mending the laceration on his thigh and the break through his femur, and a tracheostomy.

“Nurse Deborah, please call Doctor Patterson over. This is my husband.”

Doctor Patterson had excused Draco from work for the rest of the day and Harry had been stabilized. His heart had stopped on the operating table when he had been rushed in for bleeding on the brain, and he had a collapsed lung and trachea. Along with these injuries was a broken fibula on his left leg, thirteen broken metatarsals on the left side, and a completely shattered femur on his right side. His right arm had a complete break through both the radial and ulna bones. Needless to say, he was not in good shape. He had been placed in a medically induced coma to stay stable and out of pain.

Scorpius, Draco and Harry’s seven-year-old son, had been in the car with Harry. Even though the car had been the third car in the pile-up, and the most damaged, Scorpius had come out with only scratches on his face and arms.

_He’s not dead yet,_ Draco kept repeating to himself, even as he sat on the couch in Harry’s hospital room. Scorpius had been picked up by Narcissa Malfoy, leaving Draco to pace and sit and go crazy waiting for good news.

Of course, Draco knew how likely Harry was to come out of this, but he kept pushing the logical, doctor thoughts out of his head, even resulting to praying, which was something he hadn’t done in years.

                                                                                                …

                                                                _Present time: Potter Residence_

                                                                                                …

Draco was so uncomfortable. He didn’t know what to do when the other people in the house became angry. He didn’t know _why_ they were angry. He had simply stated a fact.

“Everyone, calm down and let the man explain himself!” The older lady with red hair had shouted. “I’m sorry. We’re just a bit shocked, you see. Our son has been dead-missing-for very nearly eight years. Please, have a seat. I’ll get you some tea.” Draco sat in the rocking chair and avoided the gazes of those around him. Of course, he knew that Harry wasn’t missing or dead- _Yet at least-_ the stupid voice had said. Of course Draco knew that Harry had left his friends and family eight years ago and hadn’t contacted them since. He didn’t know, however, that he was thought to be dead. Draco gazed around the room, looking at the portraits on the wall, smiling as he saw pictures of baby Harry and frowning as he saw the pictures of the struggling eighteen-year-old. You could watch the man’s descent, if you knew what to look for. And boy, did he know what to look for.

Draco turned his attention to the group of people who were whispering furiously to one another, Lily Potter in the middle of serving his tea. He could swear that she slipped something into it.

“Here you are, Draco. Simple Earl Grey. Sugar?”

“Two please.” Draco was handed his drink and took a sip. It was surprisingly bitter, considering the sugar. He finished the tea, not realizing how thirsty he was, and suddenly felt like his tongue was ready to just _talk_ for hours.

“So, Draco, you said you are our son’s husband?”

“Yes.” Draco answered before he could stop himself. He felt the need to tell the truth, though he didn’t know why; he wasn’t planning on lying anyway.

James narrowed his eyes. “How long-,” He was interrupted by the man with ginger hair sat beside the woman with bushy brown hair.

“Harry isn’t dead?”

“No.” Draco said. “Well, technically. That’s actually why I am here tonight. I’m terribly sorry for imposing so late.” He said. He still felt so compelled to tell the truth.

“What do you mean?” Lily asked. “What do you mean _technically?”_

“This afternoon Harry was picking our son, Scorpius, up from school when he was involved in a five car pileup. It was serious, you see. Several of the people involved…they died.” Draco said. Some of those people had died on his watch, too. “Scorpius made it out with nothing but a couple scratches, miraculously. But Harry, he-,” Draco stopped talking, a sob caught in his throat. “I’m sorry. I just. It’s been a long day.” He wiped his nose on a handkerchief, “Harry made it out alive, but barely. He’s got serious injuries and he’s been in a medically induced coma since he arrived.”

Draco began sobbing again, feeding the shock of the others in the room. “He might not make it out alive. He…He might die and I just- I thought that his parents should know. I know that he left without a trace but he didn’t feel like he had a choice. He loves you all so much. He talks about you all the time. He tells me all about the private school and everything. He misses you, he’s just so ashamed. So ashamed.” Draco continued to sob, his body shaking. Lily put a hand on his shoulder. “I just thought you should know that he was in critical condition.” Draco stood, finally gathering his composure.

“Can we see him?” Hermione spoke up.

Draco nodded his head yes. “He’s in the intensive care unit at the Royal London Hospital.”

“Thank you.” Lily said. “Would you, uhm, would you like to stay here for the night?”

“I couldn’t possibly.” Draco said. “I’ve got to be getting back to my parents’ house. Scorpius is still awake… I just thought that you needed to know. Honestly, Harry would be beyond angry that I came here without his permission, but this is an emergency.”

_He’s not dead yet._

                                                                                                …

James and Lily were in shock, Hermione was in tears, Ron was angry, and Ginny was confused.

Harry Potter, who had been missing for eight years, was suddenly pronounced alive. Harry Potter, who had struggled with an addiction to potions, had not overdosed and died. Harry Potter, who had left without a trace, was _alive._

Well, barely alive.

“What do we do?” Hermione asked through her tears.

“We go and see him tomorrow.” Lily said.

Ron spoke up, “How are we supposed to get the full story?”

“Well, we could ask Draco…Or we could use the Pensieve.”

“But he’s a muggle, James.”

“I’m well versed in memory charms. He will be fine. We can just alter the memories.”

The others in the room agreed quietly.

“I’ll go floo Padfoot and Moony,” James said.

                                                                                                …

The next morning found James and Lily, Ron and Hermione, and Sirius and Remus in a muggle hospital.

_“There isn’t a need for me to be there right now. You all go.”_ Ginny had said.

Lily and Hermione, being muggleborns, were a little more familiar, though things had changed since they had been to a muggle hospital the last time.

“Hello, yes. My name is Lily Potter and I am here to see my son, Harry Potter.”

The nurse at the front desk searched through the system. “The ICU is on the second floor, he’s in room 12, stall 4.” She had said absently. “You are aware of his condition?”

The six of them nodded and they were allowed to go, two at a time.

They made their way to the second floor, all opting for the stairs, and on their way ran into Draco Malfoy-Potter, who was wearing a white lab coat over grey slacks and a green silk shirt.

“Ah, I’m very glad you came. I’m Doctor Malfoy, and I am the attending in the ICU today. Shall I show you to Harry’s stall?”  Draco was a completely different man from the one that had been sobbing on their lounge chair last night.

They followed him, and if you looked carefully enough you could see the worry on his face.

“He’s in a coma, so he can’t communicate. However, there are studies that show coma patients can hear you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m not actually his doctor.” Draco pulled the privacy curtain back, stroked Harry’s hand briefly, and then left.

James and Lily walked forward, and Lily gasped.

_…_

_It was the summer of 2008. Lily Potter was making breakfast for her family. French toast, Harry’s favorite. Lily had hoped that if she cooked his favorite he would be in a good mood. She was rarely so lucky._

_James walked down the stairs, pajama clad. “Maria is in the bath, Lils.” He said. “French toast? Yummy.” He smiled._

_The two were sharing a loving embrace when Harry walked down the stairs. He was wearing the same clothes he had worn to bed the night previous, and his hair was a mess. His face was skinny, his eyes tired and sunken, and his nose was runny. He was absently scratching at one of the sores on his arms._

_“Mornin’” he said._

_Lily was grateful. At least he wasn’t going to be completely impossible today._

_“Good morning, son. How does it feel, to not have to go to class?” James asked, though he knew how rarely his son went to class his last year of school._

_“Nice.” He said absently. James sighed. He could tell that Harry had taken something as soon as he had woken up that morning. What, he didn’t know._

_Maria joined her family at the table, seated beside Harry who seemed to perk up at his sister’s arrival._

_“So, today we were planning on going to the Weasley’s for dinner. Would you like to go, Harry?” Lily asked as she cut into her toast._

_“Sure.” He said through a mouth of toast, his third helping. “Time?”_

_“Dinner will start at six thirty, so please be there by five thirty.” Harry nodded absently. He finished his food, scratched his arm, and left the table._

_James and Lily sighed. They didn’t know how to help Harry. They had threatened that he would be kicked out if he didn’t clean up his act. He didn’t, of course, and they couldn’t kick him out. He was their son after all._

_…_

_Lily, James, and Maria arrived to the Weasley’s at five. Lily had informed Molly that Harry would be attending, and Ron and Hermione seemed to have been informed. The two of them had very nearly given up on their best friend. They didn’t know what else to do, but they couldn’t keep enabling him. Everyone told James and Lily that._

_Five thirty rolled around and Harry hadn’t arrived, though everyone had expected as much._

_Six came and went and he still wasn’t there._

_Dinner had started, and by seven some were worried and others not so much. Harry had been flaky the past few years and it was nothing unusual._

_Nothing unusual, of course, until an owl arrived from St. Mungo’s saying that a man who resembled Harry was in the emergency department._

_James and Lily had rushed out of the house, leaving Maria in the capable hands of Molly. They arrived at St Mungo’s and were immediately briefed on their son’s condition._

_“He’s overdosed. He was found on the sidewalk of Knockturn Alley, surrounded by his own sick.”_

_“On potions? Which one?”_

_The mediwitch shook her head, “He has an excessive amount of calming draught in his system. However, he overdosed from muggle drugs. He has an excessive amount of alcohol in his system, nearly two times the legal amount. Along with this, he seems to have injected himself with a very dangerous drug called cocaine. I warn you, he’s not in a very good place right now.”_

_Lily had been trying to hold back the tears. This was her worst fear, her son ending up dead and out of her hands. She gripped James’s hand, and he gripped back. The privacy partition was finally pulled back and Lily couldn’t hold it in anymore._

_…_

Lily was sobbing, and James was fighting his tears. “He looks so similar to that day, James.” James simply nodded.

The last time they had seen their son, he had overdosed on a muggle drug and had been found in a very similar condition, minus the broken limbs.

James made his way to the other side of his son’s bed, and Lily grabbed Harry’s right hand.

“Oh, Harry.”

                                                                                                …

“Doctor Malfoy, please make your way to the clinic. I repeat, Doctor Malfoy, please make your way to the clinic.” The intercom sounded throughout the hospital, and Draco sighed.

“Alright, Maddy. That’s everything. You seem to be improving. Continue to take the prescribed antibiotics and return here in two weeks to make sure that the infection is completely gone.” Draco smiled, patting the girl’s shoulder as he took his gloves off and left the room.

“Hello, Nurse? Yes, I’m Doctor Malfoy. I was just called here.”

“Ah, yes. There is a lady who is claiming that she will only see you. She’s in room five.”

Draco rolled his eyes, knowing who was insisting on his visit during his rounds.

“Hello, Mother.”

“Father!” A short bundle of blond hair shouted as he ran into his father’s legs. “Grandma said that I needed to come in for a check-up on my head!”

Draco laughed for the first time in what seemed like forever. “Hello, son!” Draco said, kneeling down and hugging him as tightly as he could without crushing the boy. “Alright, let’s get your head looked at. Mother, would you like to have lunch? I was just about to go on my break.”

“I would love to; perhaps we can take Scorpius to see his dad?”

Draco nodded shortly, not wanting to face his husband’s dying form but knowing he had to.

He finished the check up on his son and helped him down from the table. “Follow me, and then we can head to the cafeteria.”

Draco, his son, and his mother all ate together in the cafeteria, Scorpius nearly refusing to eat his food until he was bribed with a cookie. Shortly after they finished, they were heading to the intensive care unit.

“Okay, kiddo. I need to tell you a few rules. First, you have to be very quiet, because Dad and the other patients are sleeping very deeply. You can talk to Dad, just mind your voice. Secondly, don’t touch anything at all. Third, when you give Dad a hug, be very careful. Good?”

The boy nodded and the trio worked their way into the ICU. Draco was leading the way and he was met with Harry’s old friends and family. “Mr. and Mrs. Potter…Hello.” He said.

“Draco…?” Narcissa said, expecting an introduction.

“Oh, Mother. I’m sorry. These are Harry’s parents.”

“James and Lily Potter. Pleasure to meet you. These are our friends, Sirius and Remus Lupin, and Harry’s old friends, Ron and Hermione.”

“Pleasure.” Narcissa said.

“Father?” Scorpius said.

“Introduce yourself, son.” He encouraged.

“Hello…My name is Scorpius Malfoy-Potter. I am very pleased to make your a-a-aquaintanace.”

“Acquaintance.” Draco corrected.

“Hello, we are your dad’s parents.” Lily said, kneeling down to the boy’s height. “You are very polite.”

“Dad tells me that I try too hard, but Father says that he is very proud of me.”

“Dad is very proud of you, Scorpius.” Draco laughed. He checked his watch. “I’m terribly sorry, we need to go. My lunch is almost over and Scorpius would like to see his dad.”

“Of course. We’ll be here if you need us, or anything. It was a pleasure to meet you.” James said, shaking Draco’s hand, and kissing the back of Narcissa’s.

Draco pulled the curtain back and tried to ignore his mother’s gasp.

“Oh, Draco.” She said, grabbing his forearm and squeezing. Scorpius squealed lightly, remembering his inside voice. “Daddy! Hi. I want to tell you all about my day.” He began to ramble on from the side of the bed, oblivious to the pain that graced his father’s features.

                                                                                                …

James and Lily sat quietly together across from Sirius and Remus. Ron had gone to get coffee and Hermione was pacing the waiting area, mumbling to herself.

“We should transfer him to St. Mungo’s.”

“Sirius, we can’t do that. We don’t have any say over him anymore.”

“I can’t believe he’s been alive all this time and he didn’t tell us. I can’t believe that he didn’t tell us he was married. I can’t believe he didn’t tell us he was gay.” Remus said.

Lily suddenly broke into tears. “What did we do wrong? Why did he feel the need to leave us?”

James rubbed his wife’s back soothingly.

While Lily was still in tears, there was a sudden commotion down the hallway.

“What do you _mean I can’t see Harry?”_ A lady shrieked.

“Ma’am, he already has visitors that are in the waiting room.”

“That doesn’t matter! I’m going in!” The lady suddenly came walking over and she was very, very pregnant. A nurse was following her, a walkie-talkie in her hand “Security, we have an issue in the ICU.”

Draco suddenly emerged from the stall that Harry was in, a shocked look on his face. “Pansy? What are you doing here?”

“Draco Malfoy! How _dare_ you not tell me that Harry was in critical condition? Let me in!”

“Pansy…Please keep your voice down, you might attract se-,”

“Security, there has been a call in from the front desk? Doctor Malfoy, did you call?”

“No, Rob. I apologize for the call in. I think it was the new nurse who isn’t aware of Pansy’s relationship to Harry and myself. She’s with me.”

“Right, let me know if you need anything, Doctor.” Rob said, heading to the nurse’s station.

“Thank you. Pansy, calm down, you’ll stress the baby.”

“The baby is fine, Draco. His _dad however is NOT.”_

Draco sighed. “Pansy, please. Mother is in with Scorpius right now. Where is Blaise?”

“Finding a parking spot.” She turned her nose up. “Who are they?” She said, pointing at the group.

“Their Harry’s family and old friends.”

“Are you telling me that they found out before me? And they are able to see him before me?”

“Pansy, I called last night. No one answered.”

“Oh. Well, still.” She faltered.

“I’m sorry, miss. My name is Lily Potter. I’m Harry’s mother.”

“Pansy Zabini, pleasure.”

“Aunt Pansy!” Scorpius suddenly shouted, running into Pansy’s legs.

“Scorpius, inside voice.”

“Sorry, Father. Aunt Pansy! Is my baby sister almost here?”

“Draco, you didn’t tell us you were expecting a girl? Your father will be so pleased!”

“We haven’t found out yet, we won’t until he or she is born in September. Scorpius just insists.”

“Her name will be Amelia Anne!”

Draco rolled his eyes. “That is the current contender if the baby is a girl. If we have a boy his name will be Orion Cyrus.”

“She’s not going to be a boy, Father.” Scorpius said.

“Those are some distinct names with some distinct differences.” Remus pointed out.

“I chose the name Orion, and Harry chose Amelia.” Draco stated.

“Draco, may I please go in?” Pansy said impatiently.

Draco nodded, leading the way. “I can’t stay for much longer. My break is nearly over.”

Narcissa took a seat next to Lily with grace. “Scorpius, do calm down. Lily, was it? Harry talks about you. He sings your praise, he’s very proud to be your son.”

Lily smiled. “He was always such a happy child. He never stopped smiling.”

“He hasn’t changed then. The first time I met him he was the master of charm. I think he was trying too hard, but I would never tell him that. My husband adores him as well, though he would never tell anyone such a thing.”

“I’m not too sure where I went wrong with him.” Lily said.

“There was nothing you did wrong.” Narcissa comforted, “Sometimes our children just make mistakes. My sister, Bellatrix, followed a very similar path to Harry. However, she got involved with the wrong sort. She’s a lowly gang leader’s wife now, and she still isn’t sober. Harry has been sober for six years. We couldn’t be more proud of him.”

“Why do you think he didn’t contact us?”

Narcissa smiled. “That I couldn’t tell you, but I have always had my guesses. I don’t think he felt that he could face you. I think he was very ashamed.”

Lily nodded, tears lingering in her eyes.

“Of course, Pansy.” Draco said, patting the crying form on the back. “Please stop crying, I have never been good at the hormones.” He said awkwardly.

“How can he be so calm? His husband is nearly dying.” Sirius mumbled.

“My son is the epitome of control. Believe me, as soon as he is off of work tonight he will be in my home, an absolute wreck.” Narcissi said, standing and walking over to Pansy. “Pansy, dear. Let me walk you to your car.” She kissed her son on the cheek and took Scorpius’s hand. “It was a pleasure to meet you.” She inclined her head toward the group.

Draco stood awkwardly with the group of people he had only heard stories about. “I’m sorry, my lunch break is over. Please, ask the nurse’s station if you need anything.”

“Draco! Would you like to come to our house for dinner tonight? We would like to uh, get to know our son in law.” James said.

“I don’t get off of work at a consistent time every night. I would love to, however, if you could have me over past seven?”

“That’s perfect. We will save dinner for you.” James nodded, standing to shake the man’s hand.

“James..?” Remus asked after the younger man had left.

“We’re going to tell him about magic tonight. I want to see the past eight years of my son’s life.”

                                                                                                …

Ron and Hermione stood next to the hospital bed that was occupied by their once best friend.

“Harry, I do hope you wake up.”

Ron nodded. “I can’t believe you never told us you were alive, mate. We’ve went years thinking you were dead. Years in mourning, and then, suddenly we might be in mourning again. Please wake up, I don’t think your mom could handle losing you again.”

                                                                                                …

_“Ron, have you seen Harry anywhere?”_

_“Nope.” Ron uttered, his focus on the chessboard between him and Neville._

_Hermione folded her arms and humphed. “I told him I would help him study for his potions’ OWL’s. Snape will have his head if he doesn’t pass the exam.”_

_“Why? Snape hates Harry.”_

_“Because, Ronald, Harry wants to be an auror and to do that he has to be in the upper division potions’ class, and like it or not, Snape is a professor and he still has to help Harry achieve his dreams.”_

_Hermione took a seat next to Ron, only to stand abruptly when the portrait hole swung open. “Harry!”_

_“’lo, ‘Mione.” He slurred._

_“Harry?” She asked, examining his face. “Harry! You smell sweet!”_

_“What?” He said. “I feel great. Don’t be anxious.”_

_“What did you take?” Hermione demanded. This wasn’t the first time he had come home out of sorts. “How much did you take?”_

_“Draught of Peace…and…I dunno, one phial?”_

_“Harry!”_

_…_

_The end of fifth year met Harry, Hermione, and Ron with a light feeling they hadn’t felt in a long time._

_“Are you excited for the party tonight, Mate?” Ron asked Harry._

_“Yeah, Hermione, are you coming?”_

_“Unfortunately, yes. I actually have to chaperone.”_

_The three eventually made their way to the Room of Requirement for the end of the year party. Since they were going to be sixth years, they had been invited to the upper year’s party._

_They entered the room, and Harry disappeared and came back with drinks. “Water for you, ‘Mione.” He said, taking a swig of whatever was in his own glass._

_Before they knew it, the party was over and Ron and Hermione were searching for their friend. “I can’t believe you let him get out of your sight. I told you that I didn’t think he should be drinking.”_

_“Hermione, I am not his mother. What was I supposed to do, bind him?_

_Hermione exhaled, “I don’t know. I hope he’s okay. I can’t find him. Let’s just go back to the common room and wait.”_

_1:00AM came and went, and Ron was still waiting for Harry to return. And eventually, he did._

_“Shh!” Someone slurred from above Ron._

_“Mate?” he asked, recognizing that it was Harry, and that he was very, very drunk. “You’re sloshed, mate.”_

_Harry laughed, “Yeah. I feel great.”_

_“Harry, come on, let’s get you to bed.”_

_“’m fine. I can walk by m’self.” He began to step forward, only to stumble, and laugh “Maybe not. I was fine when Dean ‘n me were comin’ back.”_

_Ron sighed, getting used to Harry coming home pissed on the weekends. He did his best to not inform Hermione. “Come on.” He looped his arm around Harry’s waist, and began to haul the other boy up the stairs. “Is Dean okay?”_

_Harry nodded. “Didn’t drink ‘s much ‘s me.”_

_Ron sighed. “How much did you have?”_

_“Dunno. Lots?”_

_“_ What _did you have?”_

_“Someone snuck Firewhiskey in. Think there was muggle tequila too?”_

_“Do you feel sick?”_

_“A bit.”_

_“So basically, I’ll be making sure you stay near the toilet tonight?”_

_Harry turned green. “Probably.”_

_..._

“I didn’t think I’d ever see him again, let alone clean.” Hermione said as the couple walked back to the waiting area.

Ron nodded in agreement, his voice currently failing him.

“They’re back, Sirius. Are you ready?”

Sirius hummed in agreement. “I guess.” He didn’t want to face Harry. All he could think about was how he had failed him, as a Godfather and as a professor. He had missed all of the signs, writing them off as nothing more than reckless youth. He and James had been occasional drinkers themselves in school.

“Sirius?” Remus inquired, his hand outstretched. Sirius grabbed it and smiled sadly.

“Let’s go.”

Sirius was walking slightly behind Remus, fiddling with the ring on his finger when they walked into the stall. Remus let out a big breath of air and Sirius made a strangled noise from the back of his throat.

“He’s really here.”

                                                                                                …

_Sirius signed and dated the paper -pointless, mind you- work. He had written the date 15-4-07 so many times that he hadn’t even noticed what he was signing anymore._

_A knocking on his door broke the gaze he held on the paper, and he casually called for the student to enter._

_“Hey, Padfoot.”_

_“Harry! To what do I owe the pleasure?”_

_“I had a question about wordless spells.”_

_“Ah, today’s lesson. Why weren’t you in class this morning?”_

_“I was deathly ill.” And Sirius could tell. The boy looked haggard, his clothes were slightly grungy and his hair was greasy. His face was skinnier than it had been months ago, and he had circles under his eyes. The boy smelt faintly of alcohol, but Sirius wasn’t going to say anything. He didn’t want to be a hypocrite._

_“Well then, let me get you the hand out.”_

_Sirius rummaged through the papers on his desk, muttering to himself about how he needed to clean his goddamn desk. “Found it. This is the full work up of the class and class work this morning. The handout also has an introduction for next Monday’s class.”_

_“Thanks, Padfoot.” Harry smiled._

_“No problem. Let me know if you have any more questions.”_

_…_

_Sirius sat at the head table one Saturday morning early 2008. It was Harry’s seventh year, and he had been keeping a careful eye on the boy. He seemed to be getting worse and worse, but the boy refused to listen to anyone, refused help._

_“…Another bottle of anxiety potion was missing this morning.” Poppy Pomfrey muttered to Severus Snape._

_The other man grunted. “My supply has been dwindling as well. The suspect seems to be very good at evading the wards. The Headmaster has been informed but he seems to think that it’s just a poor student who is suffering from the exams.”_

_“I hope so. The potion is particularly potent and carries risk of dependency. I suppose we should be grateful that the student is stealing it and not risking making it themselves, what with the complicated process and direct instructions.”_

_Severus hummed, eyeing Harry Potter as he walked into the Great Hall._

_Sirius looked at his Godson as well. The boy looked worse for wear. He was skinner than he had ever been, and the color of his skin was a pale grey. His eyes were tired and he seemed fidgety._

_Sirius stood, and walked over to the boy and his friends. “…I don’t remember what happened last night, no.” Harry mumbled, messing the food on his plate._

_“Harry, don’t you think that’s dangerous?”_

_“I’m fine, aren’t I?”_

_“Not unless you eat.” Sirius said, setting his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Eat, you look like death.”_

_Harry rolled his eyes and shrugged the hand off of his shoulder. “I’m not hungry. I’m actually ready to fly a broom. Ron, wanna go play a round of Quidditch?”_

_Ron nodded, shoving another sausage in his face. “Yeah, ‘s’go”_

_Hermione sighed, watching as her friends walked away. “Don’t worry so much, Hermione, you’ll get wrinkles.” The smile on his face didn’t reach his eyes. He was pretty sure that Harry was the one who was sneaking potions from Madame Pomfrey and Snape._

_…_

_Sirius was at James and Lily’s house, cleaning up from the celebration of Harry’s graduation; without Harry. The boy had sent a letter saying that he wouldn’t make it to the party that was being thrown in his honor. Lily was a wreck, having spent the entire day slaving away in the kitchen._

_“Dad!” Teddy said, hitting Sirius on the legs._

_“Hey kiddo, it’s time for your bedtime.” He walked upstairs with the toddler in his arms. He tucked the boy in and was on his way back to the living room when he heard a commotion at the front door. James and Lily were in the back yard cleaning up the tables, so they likely hadn’t heard the noise. He opened the door to see Harry struggling to find the key to unlock the door, seeming to forget that he could spell it open. “Hello, Harry.”_

_“Sirius.” He slurred._

_“Drunk again?”_

_“No.” Harry denied._

_“Don’t you lie to me. Do you have any idea how much you hurt your mother?”_

_“I don’t care.” Harry said, trying and failing to push past Sirius._

_“Harry!” Maria shouted, bounding to her older brother. “I missed you! How was your day? Mom and Dad are worried about you. Mom was crying earlier.”_

_Harry hugged the girl, seeming to immediately sober up, though his pupils were dilated. “I had a good day, sister. How ‘bout yourself?” Harry glared at Sirius and walked with the girl upstairs. “It’s about your bedtime, isn’t it?”_

_“Will you read me a story?”_

_Harry laughed, though it didn’t sound like a laugh. It sounded very sad, almost like he was dying. “Sure, sister.”_

_…_

“I failed him, Remus.”

“You didn’t. None of us knew what to do. By the time we realized he had a problem, it was too late. He was already too far gone for any of us to be able to do anything. This isn’t your fault. It’s his. He’s the one who left us, and he’s the one who refused to get help.”

“But I was right there, Moony. I was right there and I watched him come to class with a hangover. I watched him when he could have been helped. And now, eight years later, he’s dying in a muggle hospital because....”

“He’s not in here because of the drugs and alcohol, Sirius.”

Sirius shook his head. “I can’t stay in here.” Sirius said, walking out of the stall.

                                                                                …

That night found Lily Potter preparing a traditional English meal for dinner.

“So what, we’re just going to break the statute of secrecy?” Sirius asked.

Before James could answer, the doorbell sounded. “I’ll get it.”

Lily fussed with the pots and pans. “Do you know how long it has been since I have cooked without magic?”

“Too long.” Remus laughed, helping her by setting the table.

“Ron and Hermione have yet to arrive, I believe they are on their way.” James said, and immediately after the doorbell sounded again, signaling Ron and Hermione’s muggle entrance. “Speak of the devil.”

“Hello.” Draco nodded, slipping his coat off and hanging it on the coat rack. “Is there anything I can help with?”

“Of course not! Please, sit. Would you like anything to drink?”

“Do you have coffee?”

“Yes! Sirius, will you please make some coffee?”

Sirius widened his eyes. He didn’t know how to make coffee the muggle way. “Lily, I’d much rather continue setting the table.”

Lily realized what he was doing and handed him the stack of plates that she was working on. “Remus, please correct his mistakes.”

                                                                                                …

Draco sat in shock. Magic? Who the hell did these people think they were? Who did they think _he_ was? “You’re insane.”

“No, let me show you.” James said. Since he was an auror, he was able to get special permission to perform magic in front of the young muggle. He quickly turned a glass into a mouse and back.

“Nice, James. That looked just like Peter.”

“Where is Peter?” Ron asked.

“He’s in the States for something or other.” Lily answered.

“I’m sorry, I think I’m seeing things.” Draco interrupted.

“No, you’re not, son.” James said, delving into an explanation of the magical world, and Harry’s history at Hogwarts.

Draco just stared. This explained so much, from the little knowledge Harry held about everyday life and how the house was always so clean. “He uses cleaning charms!” Draco exclaimed.

“What?”

“Our house, it’s always so clean! I’ll be gone for ten minutes and return and the house is spotless, when it was a disaster from Scorpius and his friends!”

“Harry was always really lazy.” Hermione laughed.

“Draco, we know this is a lot to take in, but we have a request of you.” Lily said.

Draco suddenly steeled his features, “Yes?”

“We have a technique to view memories…We were wondering if you could show us…Memories of Harry from the past eight years.”

Draco turned his nose up. “Why?”

“We haven’t seen him in so long. We would like to see what he was like.”

“You mean when he was clean?”

“That too.” Hermione said. “He has been using something or other since he was fifteen. It started out with potions, and escalated to alcohol. By our seventh year, he was involved in muggle drugs. He overdosed soon after he turned 18, and we haven’t seen him since.”

Draco considered for a moment how he would feel to lose out on eight years of Scorpius’s life, of Pansy and Blaise’s life. “What do you want to see?”

                                                                                                …

“I stick my head in there?” Draco asked warily, looking at the thing called a Pensieve in front of him.

“Yes.” The wizards in the room said simultaneously.

“And then we’ll see my memories?”

“Yes.” They said again.

“We’ll follow after you.” Lily smiled.

Draco put both of his hands on either side of the porcelain bowl in front of him, nervous that he was going to be made a fool of. _James turned a glass into a mouse, this is real,_ he thought to himself.

He took a breath and stuck his head into the bowl, and suddenly he was falling. He was falling and falling and there was grey mist surrounding him. He stopped suddenly, falling on his buttocks. He stood and righted himself, dusting off his pants and noticing the others around him. The grey mist turned into vibrant colors, the vibrant colors of his Alma Mater.

“Where is this?” James asked.

“It looks like Hogwarts.” Ron said.

“It’s the college I attended for my undergrad. The University of Oxford. It’s where I met Harry.”

He looked around. He remembered this day. “This was the day Harry and I met.”

The party of seven watched as memory Draco walked along the side walk, staring at the palm pilot in his hands.

_“What do you mean, you failed math, Pansy?”_

_“I mean I failed Math, Draco.”_

_“How did you get into-Oof!” Memory Draco was suddenly on his buttocks, his books scattered around him. “Excuse you!” He said angrily._

_Memory Harry had a look of horror on his face “I’m so sorry!” He rushed to help Draco up and pick up the fallen books. Pansy was laughing at Draco._

“His skin has color.” Lily stated.

“Harry had stopped using cocaine at this point. He was still drinking too much, but I think he recognized the risk of the heavy drug. At least he had for a couple months before I met him.”

_“You will do well to watch where you are going.” Memory Draco said snootily._

_Memory Harry had a horrified look on his skinny face. “Oh, give the boy a break. We were first years once too, remember?”  Pansy said._

The memory around them suddenly started to shift from vibrant back to grey, shifting into a club scene. _There were lights flashing, and music was blaring. Memory Draco stood awkwardly at the bar of the club, watching his two friends dance together in disgusting ways. He rolled his eyes, turning around to people watch._

_“I remember you!” Memory Harry shouted at memory Draco over the music. “I ran into you and knocked you over last week! You’re really cute!”_

_Memory Draco preened, dusting nothing off of his shoulder “I remember you, as well!” He shouted._

_Harry approached Draco, and Draco got a good look at the other man’s face. His pupils were dilated and his breath smelt strongly of tequila. “Would you like to go back to my flat?”_

_“I am not going back to your flat. I don’t even know your name.”_

_“Harry Potter!”_

The memory shifted again, this time it was of Harry and Draco _. They were in Harry’s rundown flat, heavily making out on the couch. “My bedroom is that way.”_

Lily covered her mouth, and James shook his head. Remus and Sirius were awkwardly standing, but Ron and Hermione had lived with Harry for seven years. They had seen him make out with different people plenty of times.

_Memory Draco suddenly stopped what he was doing. “How drunk are you?”_

_“Pretty drunk. I took some ecstasy, too.” Memory Draco suddenly stood up._

_“I’m not having sex with you. You are clearly not in your right mind. Let me show you to your bed, and I’ll be on my way.”_

_Harry groaned. “You’re the first one to turn me down.”_

_“Sounds like you’ve met some pretty sleazy and desperate people, to have sex with someone who can’t consent.”_

_Harry pouted as Draco led him into the bedroom. Harry collapsed on the bed, nearly passing out as soon as his head hit the pillow. Draco sighed. He was horny and he couldn’t even get off tonight. He started to walk out of the room when Harry stopped him. “Please don’t go. ‘Don wanna be ‘lone.”_

_Memory Draco sighed._

“Not many people would do that, you know.” Hermione spoke up from beside him.

“I know.” Draco smirked.

The memory shifted to the same flat, only light was now streaming through the windows.

_“Fuck.” Memory Harry cursed as he stumbled over the coffee table in the living room._

_Memory Draco began to stir at the noise, groaning as he stretched out on the loveseat, his long form not use to such sleeping conditions._

_“Who the fuck are you?” Lily was aghast at the language coming from her son’s mouth._

_“The man who saved your ass from a shotty club, I think a thank you is in order.”_

_Harry let out a bark of laughter. “I need a drink.” Harry began to walk to the kitchen, rummaging around his fridge. He pulled out a tall bottle of vodka and a couple shot glasses._

_Draco checked his watch. “It’s not even nine in the morning yet.”_

_Harry poured the vodka into the shot glasses. “Here.”_

_“I’ll pass, thanks.”_

_“You sure?” Draco nodded, “Okay.” Harry quickly downed both of the glasses and began pouring another._

“I can’t believe that he began drinking so early in the morning.” Lily said.

“He used to always say ‘You can-,’”

_“-avoid a hangover if you just keep drinking.” Harry said, throwing another drink back._

_“How do you go to class? Are you drunk at school? How do you get this past your parents? Aren’t they mad that you drink when they’re paying for you to be here?”_

_Harry suddenly looked very solemn. “I’m paying for myself. My parents aren’t really in the picture, anymore.”_

_“Did you run away because they beat you or something?”_

_“God, no. My parents were great. I left on my own accord. I’m kind of an arsehole.”_

“He paid to go to Oxford by himself?” Hermione was shocked.

Draco nodded, “He taught me a thing or two about humility.”

The memory began to morph again, this time it took them to a green area in the middle of Oxford’s campus.

_“I don’t know why you’re dating her, Draco. You’re so clearly gay.”_

_“I am_ not _gay, Harry Potter.” Draco snapped, his eyes never leaving the book he was reading._

_Harry laughed “That’s hardly what you were saying yesterday as we admired Prince Harry.”_

_“Shut up, Potter. I’m not gay. Just…questioning.” Harry rolled his eyes._

“This was about four months later. At this point he’s been sober for two months.” Draco explained. Harry looked so much better. He wasn’t as skinny, his face had more color and his eyes were shining again.

“He looks like he did when we were younger.” Ron said.

_“I’m still dating her because that’s what my parents want.”_

_“I think they just want you to be happy, Draco.” Pansy said from beside Harry._

_“Doubtful.” Draco replied._

Shifting again, the group was now at a dinner party, watching as Draco, Pansy, Blaise, Harry, and two unidentified people ate dinner together.

“This is a month later.”

_“Astoria, will you please pass me the butter?”_

_“Here you are, Harry.”_

_“Thanks. Hey, Daphne, how is your thesis coming?”_

_The girl who was named Daphne groaned. “It’s not. I’ve hardly started at all.”_

_“It’s due Monday!”_

_“I know. Just because_ you’re _so on top of your homework doesn’t mean that we all are.”_

_“I am.” Draco commented._

Ron started laughing. “I don’t believe it! Harry, doing his homework?”

“He once told me that he didn’t like his schools’ lessons enough to pay attention. Harry had wonderful grades in uni.”

James sighed, “There is so much about our son that we don’t know.”

_“Draco and I have an announcement to make.” Astoria suddenly declared, catching everyone’s attention. “We’re pregnant!”_

_Harry dropped the glass of water that was in his hand. “What?”_

The scene shifted.

_“Harry, you’re late.” Draco said as Harry approached the table at their favorite coffee shop._

_“I know, sorry. Professor Popich wanted to have a meeting about my grade.”_

_“You’re not failing are you?”_

_“God, no. He wanted to praise my paper.”_

_“Oh, that’s great! What did you get on it?”_

_“Ninety eight. He’s a really harsh grader, as well. I worked for days on that damned paper.”_

_“Harry, your lease is about up, isn’t it?”_

_“Yeah, I was just thinking ‘bout how I needed to renew it.”_

_“Why don’t you… not?”_

_“What? And go live on the street? I can’t afford something really expensive, unfortunately, my desk job at the hospital isn’t as well a pension as your CNA job, Malfoy.”_

_Draco rolled his eyes. “I know, you idiot. I was_ going _to offer my apartment to you.”_

_“But Astoria is moving in?”_

_“She actually suggested it. ‘You don’t need the apartment surrounded by all female things’ she said.”_

_“Are you sure?”_

_Draco rolled his eyes again. “I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t sure, you twit.”_

_“I’ll start packing.” Harry beamed._

The next minute found the group in a club scene, lights flashing and music blaring.

_Memory Draco was angry. If you couldn’t tell from his facial expression, you could from his mutterings._

_“Motherfucker, dragging me out of bed at three in the morning. There he is.” Draco walked forward twenty paces “Harry James Potter!” he screamed over the music. Harry’s form was slumped over in his chair, and he was drooling. He shook Harry awake and hauled him out of the chair._

_“’Raco!” He slurred, struggling to stand on his feet. He was pulled out of the club and outside, the fresh air seeming to waken him a little more._

_“What the fuck do you think you are doing, getting wasted again? You’ve been clean for nearly a year!”_

_“’s celebratin.”_

_“Celebrating what exactly?”_

_“The birth of baby Draco!” Harry said happily. “’m so happy for you ‘n ‘Storie that I had to have a few drinks.”_

_Draco was disappointed. “Harry, let’s go home.”_

_Draco pulled Harry out of the car and led him into the flat that they shared._

_“’m tired.”_

_“You’re drunk.”_

_“Yeah I am.” Harry laughed._

_Draco helped the other man undress, left a trashcan by his bed, a water bottle on the nightstand and some Advil beside that. “Did you take anything else?”_

_Harry shook his head no, suddenly lurching for the trash can. “Jus the drinks.” He said, wiping his mouth on his hand._

_Draco sat beside him on the bed. It had been so long since he’d stayed up and nursed Harry through his drunken state._

_The next morning found Draco making breakfast for Astoria and himself. “Is he okay?” Astoria asked._

_“He’ll be fine, physically. I just hope he doesn’t drink anymore. I don’t want him to have to go through DT’s again.”_

_“Me either.” Astoria said, taking a bite of the eggs that were now in front of her. “The baby is starving.”_

_Astoria was very pregnant. She had to have been at least eight months._

_The peaceful silence was interrupted by a loud groaning from Harry. “I feel like shit.”_

_“You should.” Draco said. “Eat this.” He handed him some toast and eggs. “Why did you drink last night, Harry?”_

_“I don’t know. I was just invited to a party by Blake and we ended up there and I just couldn’t help it.”_

_“You’re not going to drink again, are you?”_

_“I hope not.”_

“That was his first relapse.”

“I’m sorry, his first?” Sirius asked.

“Addiction is hard.” Draco said simply.

The scene shifted again, and this time it found the group in the waiting room of the labor ward at the hospital.

_“Harry, what if I fail at being a dad? What if he hates me?”_

_“There is no way you could ever suck at anything, Draco. You’re going to be an amazing father.”_

_“But how do you know?”_

_“Because, you’re the most amazing person I know.” Harry smiled, grabbing Draco’s hand._

_“You’re just saying that.”_

_“I’m not.”_

_Draco smiled at his best friend, “I’m glad you’re here.”_

_“I wouldn’t miss this for the world, are you kidding?”_

_“Draco Malfoy?”_

_“Yes! That’s me!”_

_“The baby has been born. He’s a healthy baby boy. Would you like to come see him?”_

_“Yes! Come on, Harry!” Draco grabbed Harry by the wrist and led him into the room._

_Harry stood in the corner of the delivery room and watched as Draco held the baby boy; Scorpius, he had been named._

_“He’s going to be beaten up with that name, Draco.” Harry laughed lightly._

_“It’s a very respectable name, Harry Potter. How did you not get beaten up with a name like Harry, anyway?”_

_“My best friend was a ginger and my other best friend was a book worm. I was the normal one.”_

Hermione glared at memory Harry fondly, and Ron muttered something that sounded like “Ruddy bastard”.

_“Would you like to hold him, Harry?” Astoria asked._

_“Of course he would.” Draco said, beginning to walk over to Harry._

_“Oh, no, I-,”_

_“Stop fussing Harry, you’re his Godfather and we want you to hold him.”_

_Draco laid the sleeping baby into Harry’s arms and took a step back. Harry was gazing at the baby with a look of pure love and adoration in his eyes, his goofy lopsided smile on his face._

Draco watched himself watch Harry, noting the way he was gazing at the man in the memory. “I didn’t realize how in love I was.”

_Draco watched Harry with a smile. “Isn’t he perfect?”_

_“He is.” Harry replied, locking eyes with Draco. The two shared smiles and continued to gaze at the baby. Astoria was watching from the bed, a very knowing look on her face._

…

The group was suddenly pulled out of the Pensieve.

 

“Well, that was something.” Remus said as they gathered their bearings.

“Thank you, Draco. For showing us those memories.”

“I still have no idea how this all works, or why I’m so calm about it, but it was kind of nice to relieve a couple of those memories.”

James laughed sheepishly. “We spiked your tea with a potion that keeps the drinker calm. We didn’t want to utterly freak you out.”

Draco’s eyes narrowed and he hummed.

“Draco, is it okay if you show us more?” Hermione asked.

“Yeah, we’d love to see more.” Sirius agreed.

Draco rubbed his finger and his thumb on his chin (This habit drove Harry nuts, but he secretly found it endearing).

“I suppose I could be bothered.”

Lily suddenly leapt onto Draco, forcing him into a hug. “Thank you so much, Draco.” She whispered in his ear.

“Can I come over next Tuesday at the same time? And is it okay if I bring Scorpius? He starts to go crazy if he stays at my parents’ house for too long.”

“Of course! Remus and Sirius will bring their son over.”

“Teddy would love that.” Remus smiled.

“Perhaps we’ll bring ours over as well, Ronald.” Hermione mused.

“This all sounds wonderful. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some studying to do.” Draco began to leave the living room.

“Oh, let me walk you out.” Lily said, following the younger man. “Draco, I have a question I would like to ask you.” Draco nodded his head. “We were wondering if you would consider moving Harry to St Mungo’s, the hospital for wizards.”

Draco looked at the woman and recognized the worry on her face. “I can’t consider that right now. My hospital is well equipped for handling car accidents and I would much rather keep Harry on my watch at the time being. Perhaps, after some more time has passed, I might consider it.”

Lily nodded. “I understand. Well, I hope you have a wonderful night. Do drive safely.”

                                                                                                …

An hour and a half later found Draco with his nose stuck in a medical journal. It was nearly two in the morning, and his back hurt, the chair was uncomfortable and it had taken him a while to get used to the beeping coming from the heart monitor.

He sighed and slammed the book shut. “I’m so bloody tired, Harry.” He said.

“I went to your parents, if you didn’t know. I figure you do, seeing as they came to visit you.” He chuckled, “They’re different than how I imagined. Your mom is so nice, and your dad is quiet. I don’t remember you ever telling me he was quiet. Your friends Hermione and Ron are married, and they have two children. Scorpius is going to meet them tomorrow. Your Godfathers are married as well. They have a son. His hair changes colors. They told me about magic. Why didn’t you tell me, you bastard?” He poked Harry on the shoulder lightly, a smile on his face. “They’re very nice people. I’m going back tomorrow night. They asked me to show them my memories of you, and I don’t blame them. I can’t imagine missing out on Scorpius’s life, or even Pansy’s and Blaise’s.” Draco trailed off. “I love you, Harry Potter.”


	3. Accepting the Present

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You should listen to the weddings songs as you read that memory. It makes it a bit more special, I think. Maybe I'm biased.

“Father! I’m so excited to see Dad’s mom and dad again! They were nice, and she was really pretty. She has the same eyes as Dad, did you notice?”

“I did, Scorpius.”

“And Dad’s dad looks just like Dad!”

“He does.”

“And he’s even taller than you and Dad! I didn’t think that was possible! Even Grandpa isn’t that tall. How tall do you think he is?”

“Maybe that’s something you will have to ask him. Want to ring the bell?”

“Can I knock, instead?”

Draco sighed, “I suppose.” Scorpius rapped on the door far too many times but he was happy to help so Draco didn’t say anything. Usually he would have, but that is when Harry is there to allow it. He can’t be the “mean” dad when the “nice” dad isn’t here.

“Hello!” Remus said, greeting the two at the door. “So glad to see you again!”

“Pleasure.” Draco replied, nodding his head.

“Hi! My name is Scorpius! How tall are you? How do you know my dad?”

Remus laughed merrily, leading the boy to his own son. “I’m your dad’s other Godfather, and I’m-,” his voice trailed off as they got farther away.

“Draco, how was your night?” James greeted.

“It was fine, thank you. How was yours?”

“Nothing too unusual. We received a letter from Maria. She’s demanding time off of school to come see Harry, but we can’t really arrange that.”

“That’s a shame.” Draco said, “Harry talks my ear off about her. I’d love to meet her.”

“She would like to meet her new brother as well.” James winked. “Dinner is almost ready. Hermione and Ron are late, but that’s about how it goes when they’re lugging those bastards around.”

“Harry always seems to run late whenever he is in charge of taking Scorpius anywhere. I don’t know why, I’m always on time.”

“Harry was always very disorganized. Would you like a cigar?”

“No, thank you. I don’t smoke.”

“Does Harry?”

“Unfortunately. I’ve tried everything to get him to stop, but I’d much rather him have the occasional cigarette than drinking or participating in illicit activities.”

“How long has he been clean?”

“Nearly six years now.”

“That pleases me more than you can ever understand, son. Does he ever drink?”

“Sometimes he’ll have a glass of wine if we’re out to eat or at my parents’ house. He’ll sometimes have scotch with me or his bosses, but for the most part no.”

“Aren’t you afraid he’ll relapse if he drinks?”

“Sometimes, but we’ve talked about it a lot. When he was younger he drank to get drunk, and now it’s a society thing. ‘Pish posh and hoity toity shit’, as he calls it. He’s told me that he isn’t tempted to drink to get drunk off of the fancy drinks because when he was drinking, he was drinking mainly tequila and vodka. One time he drank absinthe at a party. He swore to never do that again. He had quite the night that night.”

“Thank you, Draco.”

“I’ve already said you’re welcome.”

“No, not for the memories, but for saving him. Harry, he- he was in a terrible spot, and you saw the worst of it. We tried everything to get him to stop, short from kicking him out. Maybe that’s what he needed, but you saved him, and for that we will be forever grateful.”

Draco laughed lightly. “I might have helped him get and stay clean but do you want to know what ultimately did it?” James waved his hand to indicate he wanted to hear. “He had to take a drug test for a job. So he got clean, with my help, and he just never went back, other than his two relapses.”

“What job? And when was his second relapse?”

“You’ll see tonight when he relapsed, but I left the job out. He applied to work in the hospital with me, at the front desk. He worked there until he graduated.”

“What does he do now?”

“He works as a professor at Oxford. He’s on the Board of Education and in ten years he could be in charge of the English department.”

“That’s amazing.” James smiled, pride showing in his eyes.

“Dinner!” Lily called.

                                                                                                …

“It’s still unsettling, you know.” Draco said, his hands braced on the Pensieve.

“We know, we aren’t used to it either.” Hermione said.

Draco took a breath and submerged his head, and suddenly he was falling. He landed on his buttocks yet again. Today, they landed in his flat.

_“Draco, please just sign the papers.” Astoria said._

_“Why can you possibly want to sign your custody away, Astoria?”_

_“It’s not that I don’t love him, Draco. I do. He’s everything to me, and that’s why. He deserves someone who is committed to being his parent. I want to focus on my career, and I can’t travel for it with a baby, Draco. Besides, he’s so much happier when he’s with Harry than he ever is with me.”_

_“That’s not-,”_

_“That is true, Draco. You think I don’t know about you two? Everyone knows about you two. Please, just sign the papers.”_

_Draco sighed and signed the papers, officially singing away all of Astoria’s rights as a mother. “Maybe when he’s older, you would like to visit?’_

_“I would, perhaps.” She kissed his cheek. “I’ll be on my way then. Thank you for everything, Draco.”_

The memory shifted to the flat, this time however, Harry was sitting on the couch with a small toddler in his arms and Draco was studying with his feet on Harry’s lap.

“This is four months after Astoria left. Scorpius is almost a year old, and I’m twenty-one.”

_“Draco, you study too much.”_

_“I can’t study too much when I want to get into medical school, Harry. My advisor told me I need to maintain a 3.8 to be in the running for Oxford’s medical school.”_

_“Draco, we both know that you have already been accepted.”_

_“I don’t know for sure.”_

_“You literally received an email that says “Congratulations, Draco Malfoy. We are so bloody excited to teach you how to take metal out of people’s heads.” You got in Draco.”_

_“That doesn’t mean that I can slack off. I still have to graduate from undergrad. Do you have any idea what you want to major in?”_

_“English.”_

_Draco’s head shot up. “What? That’s out of nowhere.”_

_“I know, but I loved my class last semester. Scorp, look at Harry. I’m going to be a professor.” Harry beamed at the baby who was babbling excitedly at being paid attention._

“I would have never pictured Harry enjoying English. Is he a professor now?” Hermione said.

“Yes, he achieved his dream and he is working as an English professor at Oxford. Has been since he was twenty-three.”

Draco watched himself again. It was an interesting experience. He supposed that the others, the magic folk, were used to the sensation. But it was strange to watch himself from six years ago. He studied his face, running his hand along his forehead and feeling the faint start of wrinkles that had no sign of showing on his younger self’s face. He began to look at Scorpius. He had forgotten how small the boy had been, as he was much taller than the other children his age. He smiled as he gazed at the baby. He never thought he would be baby hungry, but alas.

He switched his focus yet again to Harry, his heart warming as he watched the other man play with the toddler. There had been so many nights where Harry would just sit on the couch with Draco’s feet in his lap as he played with Scorpius, read him books, tried to teach him how to walk. Harry had wanted to see Scorpius’s first steps so badly that he almost always had his phone ready to film.

“Draco, were you two together at this point?”

“No, not yet. Why?”

Lily smiled. “The way your memory self is looking at Harry in the is the exact way that you’re looking at him right now.”

Draco’s face started to flush, turning a stunning shade of pink.

_“Mr. Doctor man, how old are babies when they begin to walk? Isn’t a year a little late for him to not be walking at all?”_

_“It depends, Harry. Some babies walk at really young ages and some don’t walk until they’re older.”_

_“But he’s so smart.”_

_“Intelligence has nothing to do with walking, Harry.”_

_“Dada!” Draco looked at Scorpius, having heard his name from the baby’s mouth. “Dada!”_

_Draco realized, shortly after Harry, that Scorpius was in fact looking at Harry and bouncing in his arms. Harry and Draco locked eyes, a mutual acceptance and confusing in both pairs. “Dada!” The baby grew more demanding, reaching for and grabbing the glasses off of Harry’s face._

_“Dada is over there.” Harry said, pointing at Draco who was speechless._

_“It’s fine. I don’t mind.” He said finally._

_“Are you sure?”_

_“Of course, the boy sees you as much as he sees me.”_

“It was a week and a half after this that we became a couple.”

The pale beige of the flat walls shifted to grey and into an elegant looking foyer.

_“Harry, what a pleasure!” Narcissa said, greeting the two men with kisses on the cheeks. “And what a sweet boy.” She cooed at Scorpius, who hid his face in Harry’s neck._

_“Son, Harry.” Lucius said._

“Is that your father?” Ron asked.

“Yes.”

“He looks-,”

“Arrogant? He is.” Draco laughed. “But he’s always been supportive and accepting of me, to my surprise.”

_“Hello, Lucius.” Harry said. “It’s a pleasure to see you again.”_

_“Please wait for pleasantries until we are at least seated in the lounge, for goodness sake.” Narcissa chastised._

_“So, tell me about school.” Lucius said to both men. “I hope you are both excelling, even with the child?”_

_“I’ve got a 4.0.” Harry said proudly. “It’s the first time I’ve ever had such a high score.”_

_“That’s wonderful!” Narcissa said._

_“And you, Draco?”_

_Draco begrudgingly admitted his score. “I’ve got a 3.9.”_

_“That’s because your course load is more rigorous than mine. And you have science and math classes. I just read for all of my classes.”_

_“You do more than just read, Harry. Your papers are astounding.”_

_“Now, boys. We are proud of both of you for achieving such wonderful grades.” Narcissa interrupted._

_“I have a question of much import.” Lucius said suddenly. “When will you two tell us that you are exclusive?”_

_Harry and Draco balked. “What?!”_

_“Oh boys, don’t pretend like we don’t know. It’s so painfully obvious.”_

_“We aren’t dating!” Both men exclaimed together, looking at each other and blushing._

_Narcissa rolled her eyes. “You’re raising a son together!”_

_The two men each made sounds of disagreement, only to be stopped by Scorpius sudden outburst. “Dada!” He shouted. “Dada dada dada dada!”_

_Harry was out of his seat immediately, rushing to the boy’s side, only to realize that he was only frustrated because he couldn’t get the circle block into the square hole._

_Narcissa raised an eyebrow at Draco. “And why aren’t you over there?”_

_Draco looked down. “He started calling Harry that last week.”_

_Her eyebrow still raised she continued to stare Draco down. “We’re not dating.”_

The memory shifted yet again.

_Draco and Harry arrived at their flat, Scorpius sleeping in Draco’s arms. “I’ll go put him down. I’ll forgo the bath tonight.”_

_“Good idea, he won’t fall asleep if we wake him up.”_

_Harry made his way to the kitchen, starting some tea and Draco walked to Scorpius’s room, laying the boy down and giving him a kiss on the forehead, failing to notice Harry in the doorway, tea forgotten._

_“Fatherhood looks good on you, ya’know?”_

_Draco turned, facing the man. “Thank you. Is the tea done?”_

_“Nah, I didn’t brew any. Wanna watch some trash telley?”_

_The two men sat side by side, popcorn between them, as they watched the television, occasionally muttering obscenities at the people._

_If you watched carefully enough, you would notice Harry stop paying attention to the TV. If you watched closely enough, you would notice the gaze being directed to Draco and staying there. If you looked hard enough, you could notice Harry trying to memorize every single detail of Draco’s face; the slight frown that permanently graced his lips in their natural form, the one_ single _lock of blonde hair that fell into his eyes only to be brushed away and fall again two minutes later in an endless cycle, the way he blinked, taking a fraction of a second longer than the average person, the slight downturn of his eyes, the teeth that peaked out when he smirked, the way he would scratch his neck when something uncomfortable happened, the way he would bite his nails absent mindedly. The slight swell of his lips, the divot from his neck to his collar bone, the blonde hair peaking from under his shirt, the permanently peaked nipples (no one knew that Draco had pierced them except for Harry, who got his tongue pierced the same day, only to hate it and take it out. Draco liked the nipple piercings, however), the definition of his abductors, the slight raise of his shirt showing the beginning of hair leading to the very prominent V shape. If you watched ever so closely, you could see the lust begin to rise in Harry’s eyes, accompanying the looks of pure love._

_“What the hell are you looking at?” Draco said, finally noticing the gaze._

_The popcorn was suddenly flung out of the way as Harry lunged at the other man. Hands entwined with hair, teeth bumped, noses were squished together. Hands roamed bodies, Harry’s hands sneaking up Draco’s shirt and brushing against the piercings, Draco’s hands ran along the inner side of Harry’s legs, brushing slightly against the rising bump in his pants._

_The air was suddenly heated, all of the sexual tension that had been surrounding the two since the first night in the club suddenly clashed in the most heated way. There was an audible crackling in the air (_ That’s Harry’s magic,” James had said.) _and the two men were oblivious to the world around them, finally accepting that they_ did _in fact long for each other, love each other. They were the last two to realize that the feelings were mutual and they were so eager to finally experience each other._

_Shirts and undershirts were littering the floor, pants were unbuckled and the men were horizontal on the couch, tongues roaming chests, hands roaming thighs, sweat mixing, pants being matched._

_Just as Harry was beginning to lower himself to Draco’s lap, the baby monitor let out a shrill scream, alerting the men to the baby and successfully ending all thoughts about each other._

_The two stared at each other for a moment, ignoring the crying baby (Scorpius woke up multiple times per night, and he almost always fell asleep about two minutes later.) The cries began to soften, until there were none at all. The men stared for a fraction of a second longer before they both burst into laughter. Harry climbed off of Draco pulling them both into sitting positions again. When their laughter finally calmed, Harry wrapped his arms around Draco and rested his forehead against the other man’s. The two embraced, smiles on their faces._

_“That was much better than the first time.”_

_“First time?” Harry asked._

_“You don’t remember, seriously?”_

_“Remember what?”_

_“Oh my god. All this time, I thought that you just regretted it, but you don’t remember. You don’t remember!”_

_“What the bloody fuck are you talking about, Malfoy?”_

_“The night I spent over at your flat. I brought you home and we were about as randy as teenagers.”_

_“We had sex?”_

_“No,” Draco said, “I stopped making out with you when I realized that you were stoned.”_

_“You stopped? That’s so noble of you. I’m sure I was on ecstasy.”_

_“You were. You don’t remember seeing me that morning?”_

_“Oh, I do. I just don’t remember snogging, and since you weren’t naked and or in my bed the next morning I just assumed you were playing hero.”_

_“I can’t believe…after all this time I figure out that you don’t remember! I thought you had just pushed it aside because you thought I regretted it.”_

_“Draco Lucius Malfoy, if I remembered snogging you when you thought you were straight-,”_

_“I am straight.”_

_“You’re not fucking straight, you’re most definitely at least bi. Anyway, if I had remembered snogging you when you thought you were straight I would have_ never _in a_ million years _let you have forgotten and you know that.”_

_Draco was silent. “Maybe I’m not straight.”_

_Harry raised an eyebrow, “Oh, and what makes you say that?”_

_“Because the more I look at you, the more I want to snog you senseless and the more I want to have you buried deep-,”_

_“I can arrange all of this.” Harry said seriously._

_Draco pecked Harry on the lips, “I don’t have anything.”_

_“I do.”_

_The two stood up, admiring each other’s body as they did._

_“So, when do we have dinner to inform the parentals?” Harry asked as they made their way to the master bedroom._

Hermione was fanning herself while Ron hid behind her hair. James, Sirius, and Remus were all staring in shock at the memory they had witnessed and Lily was smiling.

“Harry told me a few months ago, that that was in fact the moment he realized he was in love with me.”

“When did you realize?” Sirius asked.

“The moment Scorpius called him Dada and Harry didn’t freak out. Harry doesn’t know that.”

The memory had been formed, though it seemed to be paused, almost waiting for the party to pay attention.

_Draco Malfoy sat on his couch, watching as Scorpius wobbled back and forth against the coffee table. He began to watch more carefully, however, as Scorpius seemed to brave the idea of walking without support. Draco began searching for his phone to film it. Harry wasn’t there, he was at a study group, though he was supposed to be home an hour ago. Draco didn’t question the lateness, as Harry was working on his final project of the semester._

_“Where is my bloody phone!”_

_“Fada!” Scorpius called, effectively ending the search for the phone, as he began to take steps toward Draco._

_“That’s it, baby! Come on!” Scorpius walked, almost perfectly, to Draco before he fell on his bottom and began to giggle. “Good job! Dad is going to be so proud!”_

_As soon as Draco said this, his mobile began to ring, alerting him to the incoming call from Harry. Draco stood and followed the noise until it led him to the knapsack. He rummaged around it until he found the offending device. “Hello, Harry. You’ll never-,”_

_“Draco, I need help.” The broken, slurry voice of Harry very nearly caused Draco to drop his phone. “Please, I- I don’t know where I am, I’ve ‘ad too much to ‘rink, I took some- I_ used _Draco. I used ‘nd I need help.”_

_Draco, a mess himself, tried to calm Harry down knowing all too well how fast Harry’s mind would race when he was high. “Harry, it’s okay. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Can I use Find My IPhone to find you?”_

_“Yeah.”_

_“What did you take?”_

_Harry mummed quietly, his voice was faint, “Coke ‘n Vicodin. Lots ‘o tequila.”_

_“How much?”_

_“”Unno.”_

_“Okay, don’t move, I’ll be there as soon as I can. Let me just drop Scorpius at Mother’s.”_

_“’Raco,” Harry’s speech was getting more and more slurred with each passing moment. “’Raco, ‘m sorry.”_

_“It’s okay, Harry. It’s okay. I love you.”_

_“’ve you too.”_

The memory started to shift again.

_“Harry, can you hear me at all?” Draco questioned Harry who was slumped over in the chair. His breathing was faint and his pulse was racing. “God, how much did you use, Harry.” He said, fear beginning to seep into his voice. The music in the house was loud, it was dark, and it stunk like marijuana, but he could tell just how far gone Harry was._

_He pulled Harry up and into his arms and began to pull the man out of the building, Harry walking only a little bit. When the two made it outside Draco whipped his phone out and began to dial 911._

_“Yes, hello. I need an ambulance. My boyfriend overdosed on cocaine and I think he has alcohol poisoning. Yes, my address is-,”_

The group was suddenly beside Memory Draco as he sat at Harry’s bedside.

_“Harry.” Draco sniffled. His head was bowed and was resting on Harry’s forearm, his thumb rubbing absently on the back of Harry’s hand._

_Harry’s breathing was steady, although that was probably due to the oxygen tubes in his nose. His heart rate was beating steadily shown by the heart monitor’s constant beeping. To Draco, this was all too familiar of a scene. The amount of times Draco had found Harry knocked out in some bar, the amount of nights spent nursing the man back to health, the amount of time spent at his bedside as he went through detox._

_One of the CNA’s that Draco worked with, but didn’t recognize, walked into the room after knocking on the door. “Mr. Malfoy? I’m here to change his sheets and check his vitals.”_

_Draco nodded and moved out of the way. His eyes were red around the rims, his nose was runny, and his face was swollen. Draco didn’t cry much, normally. He took a seat on the chair that was next to the door, staying out of the way of his co-worker._

_Draco had his hands in his lap, and his head was bowed when Harry took a deep, choking breath. “Harry!”_

_“Draco, what happened?”_

_“Do you remember last night?’_

_Harry nodded slowly, “Some of it.”_

_“You called me and told me you had taken Vicodin and used cocaine. You also had alcohol poisoning.”_

_Harry’s eyes began to well with tears._

_“I’m sorry, sir. I’m going to have to call the doctor to let him know you are awake.” The CNA said._

_Draco and Harry nodded. “Draco, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me. One minute we were studying and the next they were saying they wanted to check out the new club. I should have declined. I don’t know.”_

_“Harry, calm down. It’s okay. Please, calm down. I forgive you. It’s okay, you’re not perfect. Relapses happen.”_

_“I want to go to counseling.” Harry said, ignoring Draco’s spiel._

“He went to counseling?” Lily asked.

“He still goes, bi-monthly.” Draco replied. “He doesn’t have many cravings, but addiction is lifelong.”

The scene had changed to Harry and Draco in their flat.

_Harry was wiping his eyes, a proud smile on his face. “I’m so happy he’s finally walking.” Harry said._

_“Me too. He was so proud of himself.”_

_“I’ll never forgive myself for missing this.”_

_Draco smiled solemnly. “It’s okay, Harry. Let’s go make dinner, yeah? Come on, Scorpius.” Draco said, holding his hand out to the toddler who just babbled and smiled elegantly._

_The two ate dinner together and it was Harry’s turn to do the dishes. Draco was sitting in the living room while mindlessly playing with Scorpius when Harry came into the living room in an amount of time that would have been impossible to do a days’ worth of dishes in._

_“You’re done already? It’s been five minutes. There is no feasible way, Potter.”_

_“Go check.” Harry said cheekily, bowing his head as Draco passed._

_“What the hell.” Draco said, gazing at the spotless kitchen. “How did you clean the entire kitchen in five minutes?”_

_“Magic.” Harry said, a sly smile playing at his lips._

_“Haha, really.”_

_“An old trick my Mom taught me.”_

_“Will you teach me?”_

_“Can’t, sorry. I’m not a good teacher.”_

_Draco pouted. “You look like Scorpius when you pout like that, Draco.” Harry said, rubbing his thumb on Draco’s pouting lips._

_“_ He _looks like_ me. _” Draco corrected._

_“Sorry, you’re right.”_

“This next memory is a year later, Scorpius is two, I’m twenty-two and Harry is twenty-one.”

_Graduation music played slowly as thousands of Graduates walked down the middle aisle. Draco was searching the entire audience for his family. He had reserved seats for them, but that doesn’t mean that they were actually able to sit in them, considering everyone brought more people than they said they would._

_“Father!” Scorpius suddenly yelled out from the crowd on his right. He turned his head and saw Harry and Scorpius waving frantically, beside them were his parents._

_Draco waved in a small gesture, not wanting to ruin the line. Eventually, the graduates were seated and Draco waited impatiently for his turn to walk to the podium and shake the President’s hand and all that tripe. Draco could see his family; they were in the fifth row. He smiled slightly, watching as Harry struggled with the restless two-year-old who was standing on Harry’s thigh while Harry tried to wrestle him down to avoid ruining the other guests’ time. Narcissa eventually handed Scorpius a candy and the small boy was placated for now._

_“Draco Malfoy. Draco graduated with honors, majoring in Biology. He will continue his education in the Department of Medicine here at Oxford.”_

_Draco stood and walked over to the president of the college who was standing with his diploma in his hand. Draco shook it, accepted the diploma and walked to the designated area._

_Eventually, the ceremony was over and the graduates were able to do as they wished._

_“Draco!” Harry called, rushing over to the man. “I’m so proud of you!” Harry said, setting Scorpius down and engulfing Draco in the biggest and warmest hug he had ever received._

_“Draco, we are so proud.” Narcissa smiled._

_“Indeed.” Lucius agreed._

_“Father! Up.” Scorpius demanded, his arms raised above his head._

_Draco laughed and picked the boy up. “Hey, Scorpius.”_

_“As soon as he saw you he couldn’t hold still.” Harry explained. “I tried my best.”_

_“It’s okay.” Draco smiled._

_“Harry, please join Draco for a picture.” Narcissa said. “I’d like to get some in before Pansy and Blaise join us. They will no doubt drag you away immediately.”_

_“She’s right.” Harry said, moving to stand to Draco’s right._

_The small little family was as happy as they had ever been. Draco stood with Scorpius in his arms, his back as straight as he was always taught, a smile lighting his face up, his free arm around Harry’s back who was smiling an even bigger smile than Draco. He stood with his arm around Draco’s shoulders, his head slightly inclined. Scorpius was just smiling because he was happy to be with his Dads. The picture that Narcissa proceeded to take was sitting on the fireplace mantle._

_Draco continued to take pictures with his parents and his whole family until Pansy made her way over, dragging Blaise and Daphne with her. “Group picture!” She demanded immediately._

_Harry rolled his eyes, but agreed anyway standing next to Draco as they took an ungodly amount of pictures._

_The party was eventually moved to the Malfoy residence, and everyone was surrounded by food and catering staff._

“My childhood house.” Draco explained shortly.

“It’s huge.” Hermione noted. “Your family own a house this big in London?”

“My family is very wealthy and we own property in many other countries. This is one of the more modest houses.”

_“Draco, when can we leave?” Pansy whined, slipping yet another wine glass off of one of the platters._

_“_ You _can leave whenever you want. My parents are hosting this graduation party for all of us, but you are by no means expected to stay. Harry and I, however…”_

_“What?” Harry asked, turning around as he heard his name._

_“Nothing, back to your conversation, Potter.”  Harry rolled his eyes but turned back to Daphne and her parents._

“Why do you call him Potter sometimes?” Sirius asked.

“I always have; it’s just how I communicate with him.” Draco defended himself.

The scene shifted yet again to Draco and Harry’s flat.

_“Scorpius is asleep.” Harry said, joining Draco on the couch. “Finally.”_

_Draco immediately put his feet in Harry’s lap, laying down with the book he was reading now being held above his face. “Good.”_

_Harry gazed at Draco, true love in his eyes. “I’m so proud of you, Draco.” Harry said._

_Draco raised an eyebrow, bending his neck to get a look at Harry. “Stop looking at me like I’m a piece of meat.”_

_Harry laughed. “Sorry, babe. That look won’t ever go away. You’re too cute.”_

_“I am not_ cute. _”_

_“You are.”_

_“I am not. I am nothing but a human of mere perfection. My chiseled jaw, my perfect hair-,” He had to push that obnoxious piece of hair out of his eyes as he said that, “-My perfectly shaped nose, my perfect body.”_

_“You’re preaching to the choir, Draco.” Harry laughed, rubbing his hand along Draco’s calf, causing Draco to nearly purr._

_“You’re just flattering me to get into my pants.”_

_“I would never.” Harry feigned a gasp, drawing a hand to his chest in mock shock._

_Draco rolled his eyes. “Let me finish this chapter.”_

_Harry nodded, continuing to gaze at Draco. “Draco, can I ask you a question?”_

_Draco hummed, letting Harry know he was listening._

_“Will you marry me?”_

_The book suddenly dropped on Draco’s face, causing Harry to laugh and Draco to scowl. “What?”_

_“Will you marry me?”_

_“Fuck.” You could see Harry’s heart drop._

_“Oh.” He said._

_“Oh, Harry no! No no, no! Of course I’ll marry you, you twit! I was cussing because Pansy had a bet on where you would propose. I had all my money on the green at Oxford, where we met. You ruddy, unromantic, bastard.”_

_Harry laughed. “Who won?”_

_“Pansy.”_

_“She helped pick out the ring.”_

_“God, I hate you.” Draco said, sitting up and grabbing Harry’s face between his hands. “And I love you, more than anything. Of course I’ll marry you.” The two shared a kiss. “You didn’t get me a diamond engagement ring, did you? I will not walk around with a giant rock on my finger.”_

_Harry laughed. “Of course not. It’s just a band.”_

_“Of the finest metal?”_

_“It’s cobalt, Draco. I am well aware that you wouldn’t accept anything less. Now shut up, I’ll show you the ring another time. Kiss me.”_

_Draco, ever the people pleaser, leaned forward and caught Harry’s mouth against his own. The two shared a long, heavy kiss before Harry finally broke the two apart, much to Draco’s displeasure._

_“You done with the chapter yet?” Harry asked breathlessly._

_“What chapter?” Draco smirked, grabbing Harry’s hand and leading him to their bedroom._

The scene was shifting, and it found Harry himself in a set of Graduation robes, undressing in their flat as Draco watched.

_“Congrats.” Draco said, eyes moving all along Harry’s body._

_“Stop looking at me like that. We don’t have time, Draco.” Harry said sternly._

_“I can be quick.”_

_“Shut up, and hand me my shoes would you?”_

_The party that Narcissa had planned for Harry was casual attire, due to the demands of Harry who hated dress clothes. Draco, of course, was dressed impeccably, even his casual clothes being of the finest material while Harry’s choice of casual was denims and a t-shirt, which he wasn’t even allowed to wear, Draco insisting he wear at_ least _a polo. He picked it out, and it was an elegant green color. Draco had also provided a silver belt and grey shoes that looked almost silver._

_“I hate green.” Harry pouted, adjusting the itchy shirt._

_“Why? It looks great on you. It makes your eyes pop.”_

Ron, Sirius, and James were hysterically laughing. “What?” Draco asked.

Hermione rolled her eyes but began to explain. “At Hogwarts, there are four houses, and each house has house colors. The house we were in, Gryffindor, is colored scarlet and gold. Our biggest rivalry has the colors of green and silver. Harry almost got sorted into Slytherin as well.”

“Harry always tries to wear scarlet and gold, and it is an awful color on him.”

_“You look dashing, let’s go.”_

_When the men arrived to the party, Scorpius immediately demanded to be let down, rushing to his grandma who provided him with three cookies and promises of more to come._

_The clinking of cutlery on crystal alerted the party guests to Lucius Malfoy standing at the head table preparing to make an announcement._

_“Good evening, everyone. It is my absolute pleasure to welcome you to my home for yet another Graduation celebration for our own Harry Potter. We are so pleased to announce that he has earned a degree studying English. He plans to further his career and he has already been offered a position in the English department at his Alma Mater, Oxford. Congratulations, Harry. Narcissa and I are so pleased and we look forward to welcoming you into our family.” Lucius raised his glass in a toast, the guests following suit, and took a sip._

_Draco faced his boyfriend- fiancé? - And smirked. “You got more attention than me, you know.”_

_Harry laughed. “I know. What can I say, I’m very lovable.”_

_Draco shoved Harry lightly, a smile playing at his lips. “Go get some caviar, would you?”_

_“God no.”_

The scene was yet again at the Malfoy residence and there were guests attending another party, however this time was met with elaborate decorations in the colors of pale beige and light blue, many tables with centerpieces that were made up of the narcissus flower, and the guests were dressed in their finest clothing.

“Is this-“

“Our wedding, yes. We were married on May 5th, 2012.”

_Draco Malfoy was impatiently waiting at the start of the aisle. He was waiting for his signal to begin to walk down the aisle. He and Harry had argued over this. Harry didn’t want a wedding march. “We’re both men, Draco! What are we going to do, have one of us wear white?” “Harry, the most spectacular part of the wedding is the March. Just because we are both men does not mean we have to get rid of this. We’ll both march.” “The most spectacular part of the wedding is the dress.” “I disagree.”_

_Eventually, the two men had an agreement. They would both march following the groomsmen (Harry and Draco argued over Blaise and Pansy, eventually agreeing that Pansy would be on Harry’s side and Blaise would be on Draco’s. Harry had insisted on Lucius and Narcissa walking Draco down the aisle but Narcissa simply refused, insisting that since Harry didn’t have his mother there to walk him down Draco could live without. Draco was fine with this arrangement because it meant that more of the attention would be on him, though he would never admit that aloud. Eventually it was decided that Harry would walk down the aisle first, standing on the side that the groom would traditionally stand on. The two men having decided that since Draco loved to make himself known by a grand entrance, Draco would be the one to march down the aisle secondly. Draco was pleased with this decision._

_The music started (Canon in D major), and Draco tapped his foot impatiently, resisting the urge to pace. They had rehearsed the wedding so many times that Draco could visualize everything. Pansy and Blaise were the first to walk down the aisle, taking approximately thirty seconds to reach the end and stand in their respective places. On the twenty first beat and the thirty seventh second of the song, Lucius and Narcissa would begin their walk down the aisle, sitting in their respective seats. On the thirtieth beat of the song, the officiator would then ask the guests to rise. Draco counted the beats (they were behind.) and on the forty-fifth beat of the song, the music changed._

Lily gasped, recognizing the song. “This is The Beatles.” Tears were beginning to form in her eyes.

Draco nodded. “Harry didn’t make a lot of the decisions, but this was one of them. He insisted that we use the string version of ‘All You Need Is Love’ because it was your favorite song. He said you would sing it to him as he fell asleep. He wanted you to be a part of the wedding, even though you weren’t there. He was well aware of his decision and he’s well aware of the pain he caused and I think that is why he couldn’t face you.”

Lily started to cry. “Is there any way we can see Harry?” Draco asked, wanting to show Harry’s parents their son’s wedding.

James shook his head, rubbing circles on Lily’s back. “Not since the memory is from your perspective.”

“I’ll ask my mother for her memory.” Draco said at last.

The group turned their attention back to the wedding which had paused.

_The music started, and on the fifth beat Draco knew that Harry was beginning to walk down the aisle. The music was slower than the actual song and most of the string versions, but Draco knew that it was perfect. He prepared for his turn, having made his way to the hallway that led to the aisle._

_“GO!” The wedding planner said quietly, smiling at Draco._

_Draco opened the grand doors and entered the Ballroom of his childhood home. The guests were in awe of him, of course. He had refused to wear matching suits with Harry, insisting that it was tacky. Draco, instead, opted for colors that highlighted their own skin tones and eyes. Draco was wearing a beige (very expensive, handmade) suit with a matching waistcoat and an emerald green tie. Harry was adorned in a suit that was a cross between emerald and forest green and he, much to Draco’s chagrin, wasn’t wearing a tie. “They make me uncomfortable, Draco.” He had whined until Draco agreed to let the man go without a tie. Both men had boutonnieres made of pure white lilies._

_Draco began his march, eyes scanning the audience (They had decided for mixed audience, since Harry’s family was not there). Draco strode down the aisle, finally making eye contact with Harry, who had the widest smile Draco had seen since he had held Scorpius for the first time.  Their eyes locked and Draco broke into a smile himself. Harry was the most handsome man that Draco had ever laid eyes on and Draco was, though he wouldn’t admit it, swooning as he gazed at the man that would soon become his husband._

_The two men exchanged traditional vows, and when they walked down the aisle as husbands for the first time they were both beaming._

“I included the entire wedding, I hope that’s okay.”

_When the wedding finally turned into the reception, Draco and Harry were chatting with Harry’s colleagues when it was time for their first dance. Harry rolled his eyes and he was dragged onto the floor._

_‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ by Elvis broke through the speakers and the two began to dance together, with Harry in the lead._

“Why did you pick this song? You don’t seem like a big Elvis fan.” Sirius said.

“I wasn’t, but I am after it was my first dance,” Draco chuckled sardonically, “I didn’t pick this song either. This was Harry’s choice, he said it reminded him of his parents. He told me stories of him walking into the kitchen to see you two dancing to this song.”

James nodded. “His memory is not mistaken.” He smiled sadly at his wife, who had stopped holding her tears back.

_“Why are you leading?” Draco asked petulantly._

_“Because you let me, for once.” Harry laughed._

_“Well, Mister Malfoy-Potter, it is a rare occasion that I let you lead and you should feel honored.” The two men danced around the floor, oblivious to the guests who were smiling brightly at the couple in love._

_Harry smiled brightly. “I like our last name.” He paused for a second. “Do you think Scorpius realizes what an important day this is?” The two men turned their heads and looked at Narcissa who had Scorpius in her arms. He was happily eating cake and drinking sparkling cider that had been provided for the few children guests._

_“He’s going to ruin that suit.” Draco frowned._

_“He’s three, Draco.”_

_“It’s a good thing we’ve already taken pictures. I can’t imagine having our son in our wedding pictures with a gigantic stain on his suit.”_

_“That is one of the reasons we took pictures immediately after the ceremony, Draco.”_

_“I know, Potter.”_

_“That’s Malfoy-Potter to you.” Draco rolled his eyes._

_The song ended and Draco and Harry kissed lightly, beginning to walk off of the dance floor._

_“Not so fast, you lovebirds. We still have one more special dance. Please continue to steer clear as the handsome grooms prepare for the traditional parents dance.” The DJ said._

_“What?” Harry and Draco said together._

_“We agreed not to do that.” Draco said, beginning to walk to the booth._

_“Son, I believe this is the part where you let me lead.” Lucius said, holding his hand out to his son before Draco could cause a scene._

_“What?” Draco turned to look at Harry who was hugging Narcissa and trying to hide his tears. “Father?”_

_“Your mother and I agreed that this was a part of the wedding that would not be taken out. Your mother insisted on dancing with Harry, but of course, if you are uncomfortable dancing with me I will dance with Harry.”_

_Draco looked at his father. It was so rare that Lucius showed any type of emotion, and here he was, almost hurt that Draco didn’t seem to want to dance with him._

_“Of course I’ll dance with you, Dad.”_

_Lucius beamed. He didn’t usually like being called anything other than Father, but this was an exception. Draco allowed his father to lead them in a sophisticated waltz to ‘Fly me to the Moon’ while Harry and Narcissa danced together for the first time, laughing and smiling at each other just like a mother and son would._

_“Thank you.” Draco said._

_“Whatever for?”_

_“For always accepting me. I was afraid to inform you and Mother about my orientation, and I shouldn’t have been because you didn’t change your opinions on me. Thank you for accepting me and Harry.”_

_Lucius rolled his eyes. “I know we aren’t the most loving family, but I’m almost offended that you would think we wanted anything other than you to be happy.”_

_Draco sheepishly looked down, nearly stumbling. “Sorry.”_

_“There is nothing to apologize for, Son. Congratulations, Draco Lucius Malfoy-Potter, on being married.” Lucius smiled as the song ended._

The scene began to change, following Harry and Draco back to their flat.

“I didn’t include anything from the honeymoon. You don’t want to see anything, but know that we had a wonderful time in Bora Bora.” Draco nearly laughed at the grateful faces of Harry’s friends and family. “This memory is about a year later. The last few are just a couple glimpses into Harry’s and my life. Nothing too important happens from here on out, so far at least.”

_Draco was exhausted. He walked into the new home that Harry and he had purchased and kicked his shoes off, nearly collapsing into the couch. He closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them again he was startled by the teacup that was in front of him._

_“Welcome to the world of the living, Draco.” Harry smiled, setting the tea on the coffee table. “You’ve been asleep for the three hours that I’ve been home. Scorpius and I nearly screamed when we saw your sleeping beauty on the couch when we got home from primary. What time did you get home?”_

_“I haven’t a clue in the world. Where is Scorpius? It’s too quiet. Is he alive?”_

_“Yes, he’s outside with Daphne. She brought Delilah and Richard over for a play date that is now over. She was just about to leave, actually.”_

_“I slept through a six-year-old, and two four year olds running through our house?”_

_“I entertained them outside, they only came in to use the loo.”_

_Draco nodded in understanding, sipping at the tea. “What is for diner?”_

_“Isn’t it your turn to cook?”_

_“Well, yes._ Technically _it is my turn to cook, but you see. I’ve just been asleep for five hours after a particularly grueling day at the school. Do you know what we did today, Potter?” Harry shook his head, a smile playing at his lips. “We had three tests. Three!”_

_Harry rolled his eyes. “I’ll start some pasta, then.”_

_“You’d do well to.”_

_Harry, Draco and Scorpius sat at the dining table in their home after they had finished eating. Draco was listening whole heartedly to Scorpius ramble on and on about what had happened at school that morning and Harry was grading a particularly grueling thesis statement. The pen scratched against the paper and Harry finally gave up and sighed, setting the pen down angrily._

_“Tell your father about what Miss Maggie said today.”_

_“OH!” The boy shot out of his seat and opted to instead stand on the chair. “Miss Maggie told me that I have the best grammar in the whole class, Father! The_ whole class!” _The boy excitedly began to ramble again, his words jumbling into one big mess._

_“That’s great, Scorpius. Do sit down, though.” Draco smiled._

_Scorpius nodded his head, and plopped back down in the chair. “Dad, can I have ice cream? I ate all my veggies.”_

_Harry smiled. “I suppose.” He stood and walked back into the kitchen and came back with three bowls of ice cream topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup and caramel._

_“This is going to clog my arteries.” Draco frowned, but took a bite nonetheless._

_“MM! Ifth thso good!” Scorpius said through his mouthful of ice-cream._

_“Don’t talk with your mouth full.” Draco scolded._

_“Yeah!” Harry said, through an equally full mouth of food._

_“Thorry.” Scorpius said, swallowing the food after he had talked._

_Draco rolled his eyes but smiled at his little family._

The scene shifted, and found the group standing in an office in front of a man who looked to be at least sixty-seven years old.

_“This treatment is unacceptable!” Draco said, his voice raising._

_“Draco, calm down.” Harry said._

_“I will_ not _calm down, Harry. This man is not letting our son switch out of his class.”_

_“It’s simply impossible, you see.” The man said, wiping the sweat off of his brow with a dirty handkerchief. “The year is halfway through. We can’t just switch a boy out of his class due to some schoolyard bullying.”_

_“Schoolyard bullying!” Harry shouted, his temper suddenly gone. “Schoolyard bullying is for one: not acceptable anyway, and for two: A little boy and his band of idiots called my son a faggot. You look me in the eye-,” Harry then leaned forward, his hands now resting on the desk and his head looming over the man in front of him, “-You tell me how that is okay. Where does a five year old even learn those words?! Oh, I know! From his homophobic teacher! She’s teaching five years olds and turning them against my son! My son is five years old, and he doesn’t need people calling him slurs simply because his parents are both men.”_

_“Perhaps you should have thought-,” the man began._

_“Excuse me?” Harry said, his voice getting dangerously low. “You look me in the eye and rethink saying those words again, you ignorant piece of shit. My life has nothing, and I mean_ nothing _to do with you. God forbid two people who are in love get married and raise a family. You look me in the eye and tell me that my son is losing out on_ anything _that he would have in a bloody “traditional home”. There isn’t a single thing. He has experienced more love in his short life than you could ever wish to have. Now, if you would be so kind to take Scorpius out of your school’s system, I believe that we are transferring schools.”_

_“You can’t do-,”_

_“If you don’t take my son out of your roster this very second, I will not hesitate to call the Malfoy family lawyer and get this sorry excuse of a school shut down.” Harry said, an evil glint in his eyes. You could tell that he was not joking._

_The two men walked out of the despicable mans’ office and suddenly Harry was pulled into an empty classroom, hearing the door lock behind him._

_“You’re extremely sexy when you’re mad, did you know that?” Draco purred in to Harry’s ears._

_“Draco.” Harry laughed lightly. “We can’t do anything here.”_

_“Why not?”_

_“Because children go to school here.”_

_Draco clicked his tongue. “That’s a shame.” He said, backing away from Harry. “You should get angry like that more often. It’s very alluring.”_

_“I don’t like to be angry.” Harry said, rubbing the back of his neck. “The last time I was that angry was when I was fifteen. Some idiot called Hermione a derogatory slur. I had detention for a week, but the kid was in the hospital wing for a month.”_

_Draco raised an eyebrow. “Interesting.”_

“I remember that.” Hermione recalled softly.

“Was that you, who he was talking about?” Draco asked.

“Yeah. There is this thing called blood status in the Wizarding World. I am of a “Lower” Status than some people, and there is a term that people use to describe it.”

“Sounds stupid.” Draco said.

“It is. But if you were raised to believe that, just like those people in your memory were, you wouldn’t think so.” Sirius said.

Draco frowned.

_“But why do I have to go to a new school?” Scorpius asked._

_“Because the management at your old school was less than impressive.”_

_“What?”_

_“Your father and I didn’t want you there anymore, Scorpius. Daphne is transferring her kids as well. She was just as unhappy.”_

_“Where am I going?”_

_“You’ll be attending a private institution. It’s a bit of a drive but it’s near my work so you’ll just leave with me in the mornings.” Harry smiled._

_“Will the other people be nice?”_

_Harry and Draco exchanged sad looks. “We hope so, son.”_

_Scorpius beamed. “Whatever. Can I have ice cream?”_

_Harry rolled his eyes and Draco shook his head in amusement._

The scene gradually changed then, showing quick glimpses: Harry and Draco on dates, Scorpius’s sixth birthday party, Lucius’s 59th birthday party, their anniversary, Harry’s promotion party. Finally, the scenes stopped. They were now all watching as Draco and Harry sat on a picnic blanket and watched Scorpius run around and feed the ducks.

_Draco popped a strawberry into his mouth, rolling his eyes as Scorpius tripped, yet again, and fell onto his hands and knees. The boy immediately got up, looking at his fathers and smiling sheepishly before he laughed at himself._

_“Dray, will you hand me a sandwich?”_

_Draco glanced at Harry from the side of his eyes, choosing to ignore the man until he called him by his_ proper _name._

_“Dray.” Harry said again, pushing Draco lightly on the shoulder._

_Draco, continuing to ignore his husband, took another strawberry and popped it into his mouth._

_“Dray.” Harry whined._

_“_ WHAT?!” _Draco finally broke, turning around sharply and glaring at Harry. “Would it really hurt you to say two syllables, Potter?” He said with his eyes narrowed._

_“Will you hand me a sandwich?” Harry said again, his face not betraying the humor he was actually feeling._

_Draco sighed a most aggravated sigh, reached over and grabbed a sandwich, and all but threw it at the man._

_“Thanks.” Harry smiled._

_Draco rolled his eyes, a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth. “Yeah, yeah.” He said._

_Harry then decided that he was tired and laid his head on Draco’s lap and closed his eyes, snore emitting almost immediately from the man’s mouth._

_“What am I going to do with you?” Draco asked quietly, running his fingers through the absolute mess that Harry called hair._

_“Dad!” Scorpius yelled as he ran over. “Oh, sorry. Father, guess what?” He asked in a quieter tone._

_“What?”_

_“I was by the river and a river snake came out of the water. I was kind of scared at first, but then it said to me it said “Don’t be afraid, young human, for I am only here to warn you of the angry swan.” And then he left. I thanked him for the warning and then ran away because the swan was coming close to me.” Scorpius said, his voice lowering as he imitated the snake._

_“That’s nice, son.” He entertained Scorpius’s wild imagination Why don’t you sit down for a moment and drink some water? I don’t want you to become dehydrated.”_

_Scorpius took a deep breath and plopped himself loudly next to Draco, reaching for his water bottle. “Can I have a cookie?”_

_“Sure.” Draco said, still running his hands through Harry’s hair._

_Scorpius chewed on his cookie -which Draco noticed was actually four cookies- happily and loudly, taking periodic sips of water._

_“Do we have some watermelon?”_

_“Yes we do, it’s in the grey Tupperware.”_

_“The what?”_

_“The grey container, Scorpius.”_

_“Oh, that one. The one that Dad refuses to let anyone use but himself?”_

_“No, that one is still at home. Yes, that one.” He said when Scorpius finally grabbed the correct one._

_He popped the lid open, flinging some juice onto Harry’s face, and took a big slice out of the container._

_Draco’s phone began to ring, signaling an incoming call from Pansy. He was reluctant to pick the phone up, afraid of another set of bad news and another failed IVF._

_“Draco.” He said._

“Draco!” _Pansy’s excited voice rang out._ “Is Harry around? Get Harry!” _Draco woke Harry up, who sat up groggily._

_“Hullo?” He said into the receiver, immediately putting it on speaker. “She said it’s for both of us.”_

“It took!” _She cried happily. “_ The egg took! I’m pregnant!”

_Harry and Draco looked at each other and beamed. Scorpius was confused, but waited quietly none the less._

_“Really?” Harry asked, tears beginning to spill out of his eyes. “We’re going to have another baby?”_

“Yes!” _Pansy said, and you could tell that she was crying now as well._

_“When is it due? I don’t want to know the sex. Do they know if it’s mine or Harry’s genetically?”_

_“_ September 15th, I won’t tell you when I find out, and we won’t know until the baby is born _.” Pansy answered the questions._

_“This is so great.” Harry said, holding Draco’s hand as he smiled._

_“What is?” Scorpius finally said, his impatience getting the best of him._

_Pansy waited on the other side of the line, “Scorpius, your father and I have been trying for a few months now to have a baby. Finally, Aunt Pansy is pregnant and you’re going to be a big brother.”_

_Scorpius’s face absolutely lit up. “I’m going to have a little sister?”_

_“We won’t know until the baby is born, but yes, you could have a baby sister. You could also have a baby brother.” Draco corrected._

_“It’s a sister.” Scorpius said, crossing his arms._

_“Let him think what he wants, Draco.” Harry smiled, “Pansy, we’ll be over to your place in two hours.”_

_“I love you guys!” She said._

_Harry and Draco laughed together, throwing their arms around each other as Scorpius smiled at his Dads._

_All was well._

The memory ended there, pulling the group out of the Pensieve.

“That’s it.” Draco said, brushing lint off of his suit. A timer went off almost immediately after he said this, alerting them that dinner was ready.

“Dinner!” Lily called to the children upstairs who came barreling down immediately after.

“Father!” Scorpius said rushing to the man.

“Yes?”

“I’ve made friends!” Scorpius said.

“That’s great, son.” Draco smiled. “I’m glad. You’re having a good night, then?”

“Yes! Can I sleep over?”

Draco started to protest, but James interrupted him. “If it is okay with your father, it is okay with us.”

Draco nodded, slightly hesitant, and smiled at his son. “Let’s get some food, then.”

                                                                                                …

A couple nights later, Draco was on call. He was spending the night in the hospital and was just laying down on the cot when his pager went off. He groaned and sat right back up, not even bothering to look at the screen, well aware that it was in the ICU, as that was his rotation tonight.

He ran into the ICU and was met with complete and utter chaos. The nurses were running around and grabbing the crash cart when he walked in. “Room 12, stall 4! Code blue!”

Draco’s breath caught in his throat. That was Harry’s cot. He was supposed to be stable!

Draco, immediately going into doctor mode, ran into the room.

                                                                                                                …

Harry was stabilized, but just barely. Draco was fretting as he was talking with his supervisor.

“Draco, I really don’t see any sign of improvement. Perhaps you should consider taking him off of the ventilator?”

“You’re not really suggesting that I take my husband off of life support?”

“I am. Draco, if this was a regular patient you would see that the situation was hopeless.”

“I can’t.” Draco said, beginning to break down.

“Draco.”

“I can’t.” he said again, “Are you really telling me that none of the doctors here see any sign of hope?” his supervisor nodded. “Well then I’ll just transfer him. I’ll transfer him to his family’s hospital.”

“He’s not stable enough; you know you can’t do that.”

“As his husband and proxy, I can. He’ll be transferred tomorrow.”

                                                                                                …

The next morning found James and Lily standing outside of St Mungo’s hospital, Scorpius by their side. They walked in, announced who they were, and were led to their son’s room.

“Father!” Scorpius said, hugging his father around the waist.

“Hello, Draco.” Lily said, running her hand along Harry’s forehead.

“How did he get that scar?” Draco asked. “I’ve always wondered, but he would never tell me.”

“It was actually an accident on a broom.” James laughed. “Landed square on a rock in the middle of a game.”

“Of quimmich?”

“Quidditch.” James corrected. “And yes.”

“When are the healers going to see him?” Lily asked.

“In about 30 minutes, actually.”

“Is Dad okay?”

Draco smiled sadly at his son. “I hope so.”

James and Lily sat down in the extra chairs and waited with Draco.

Shortly after James and Lily had arrived, a knock sounded from the door. A woman entered immediately after.

“Poppy!” James and Lily said together. “What are you doing here?” James asked.

“When I heard that Harry was back and in critical condition, I figured that I was the only one able to handle it. Hello, I am Poppy Pomfrey. I am the head healer at Hogwarts, and you are?”

“Draco Malfoy-Potter. I’m Harry’s husband and this is our son, Scorpius.”

“Hello!” Scorpius said happily. “Are you going to fix my dad?”

“You bet your bottom.” She smiled a rare smile at the boy.

“Now, only one guest is allowed. Perhaps the husband?” Poppy said sadly as she inclined her head for James and Lily to take Scorpius. The two adults nodded and led the boy outside, promising another cookie.

“You are a muggle?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t be surprised by anything you see here dear. I’m professionally trained in the art of magical healing. I’ll have him fixed in no time.”

Draco nodded and watched as she began to administer fluids to him orally.

“Whoever did these bandages has a skilled hand.” She noticed.

“Thank you. I’m actually a resident right now.” Draco said, “I was doing my rounds when he came in. I had to unfortunately doctor him until my superior took over for me.”

“You did these sutures and bandages?”

Draco nodded his head. “His head was done in surgery, however.” Draco said, nodding to the bandage on his head.

“They are beautifully done. I almost mistook them for magical bandages. Now, let’s see here.” She began to take the casts off, and by take-off, Draco realized with shock that she was vanishing them.

She casted a charm that let her see what the breaks looked like. “They’re almost done healing.” She said. “That’s the work of these potions. Cuts the healing time of a broken bone to a record amount of time. Of course, they won’t be completely healed until twenty-four hours later, but that’s a lot faster than months, yes?” She smiled. She waved her wand and a light blue light began to emit from Harry’s core.

“What is that?”

Poppy shook her head and took some notes. “That is his magical core. It’s exhausted. They are usually a bright green. Harry, however, has always been powerful. His magical core is always a flaming red color. He’s magically exhausted.”

“What does that mean?”

“That means that he performed an extreme amount of magic, more than is normal for one time. It happened to him once during school, when he fell off of a broom, but it’s very rare that a witch or wizard exhausts themselves so much. The coma he is in currently is his body trying to regain its power. Unfortunately, without the proper potion administration, the process is nearly impossible. Especially since they were insisting you take him off of support.”

“You mean he could have been better days ago? If only I had brought him here?”

“Well, yes. But you didn’t know any better, now did you? You’re a muggle doctor, and you trust muggle techniques, and you should. However, muggle medicine, while amazing, doesn’t generally work for those with magic who are in critical condition.”

Draco watched as the woman administered more potions to Harry, and the color of the light began to shift from light blue to a darker blue. “It’s working already?”

“This potion works fast. He should wake up tomorrow morning.” Draco’s eyes were wide.

“Amazing.”

                                                                                                …

Draco had called his work to inform them of his absence and was waiting by Harry’s bedside. It was quiet, and it was unsettling to Draco. He was so used to the beeping of the heart monitors and the oxygen, and the announcements.

“Good morning, Draco.” Poppy said as she walked into the room that morning. “How is he?”

“His breathing is regular and his pulse is steady at eighty. I checked his blood pressure an hour ago and it was nearly perfect at 123 over 80.”

“Good, good! Let’s have a look.” She casted the charm and immediately a flaming red light emitted from Harry’s core. “Well, shall we wake him up, then?”

Draco nodded eagerly, watching in fascination as she casted more charms. Suddenly, Harry took a deep gasping breath and his eyes snapped open. “Madame Pomfrey?” he said, complete and utter confusion evident in his voice. “Am I dead?”

“Merlin, no, Mister Potter. Quite the contrary, right now. Follow the light.” Harry’s eyes followed the light and as it was lowered, he asked Poppy “Why am I here? Where is Scorpius, and Draco?”

Poppy moved to the side and allowed Harry to see Draco, who was staring in awe at the completely healed form of his husband. “Harry!” He shouted, leaping into his arms and onto the bed, crying into Harry’s neck.

“Hey, Draco.” Harry said. “What happened? Why are you crying? Why am I at St Mungo’s? How is the car?” He paused. “St Mungo’s? How-,”

“I know everything.” Draco said, blowing his nose into the handkerchief that Poppy provided.

“How?” Harry was puzzled. How long had he known?

“I went to your parents.” Draco said.

Harry’s eyes widened and he stared at Draco. “Do they hate me?”

“How could anyone hate you, Harry? Of course they don’t.” The two men continued to embrace, oblivious to Poppy as she left to give them some privacy, returning shortly after.

“I hate to intrude on this moment, but I do need to attend to Harry.” Draco nodded and began to school his emotions. “Now then, Draco, if you would? I need access to Harry.”

“Oh, pardon.”

“What do you remember, Harry?”

“I picked Scorpius up from school and we were on our way back to campus, my work, when someone rammed me from the side. I remember being hit from the back after that, and all I wanted to do was protect Scorpius. I think I formed some sort of magical shield around him? After that all I remember is waking up to you flashing that damned light in my eye.”

“You cast a shield?” Poppy asked, looking up from her notes. Harry nodded. “That explains the magical exhaustion. You see, you were in a muggle hospital-,”

“Royal London.” Draco informed Harry, who nodded.

“- Yes. You were in the muggle hospital for about a week. The doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Unfortunately, you had bleeding on the brain and had to be rushed into surgery, where you died on the table. They were able to revive you, and you were then put into a medically induced coma to keep you stable, and you were until last night. Draco here, after being told to take you off of support, transferred you here with the help of your parents. I was able to diagnose you with magical exhaustion. It would seem that you exhausted yourself so completely that you were very near death. Your core was light blue.”

“That’s bad.” Harry stated.

“Yes it is.”

“Scorpius… is he okay?”

Draco nodded. “He came out with only a couple scratches, thanks to you, apparently. They didn’t know how he survived, the accident piled right into the passenger side of the car. You should have come out fine. Doctors were really confused.”

Harry nodded. “Is he here?”

Draco nodded and walked out of the room for a second, following Poppy, to fetch Scorpius.

“Is he awake?” Lily asked, standing as she did.

“Yes. You can both come in after Scorpius sees him.” James and Lily nodded.

“Can we call the others?”

“I don’t think so, not today.”

“Dad is awake?” Scorpius asked excitedly.

The door opened and Scorpius was immediately on Harry’s lap. “Dad! Grandma and Grandfather were so worried!”

“Did you inform them?”

“Yes. Of everything, actually. They’ll be here shortly.”

Almost on cue, a knock sounded on the door. Draco answered it. Lucius and Narcissa were standing with confused looks on their faces. “Is it okay if we come in before them?” Narcissa asked, inclining her head to James and Lily.

“Yes. It’s fine.” Draco smiled at James and Lily who smiled back anxiously. “I think they need more time to work up the courage to see their son for the first time in eight years.”

“Harry!” Narcissa said as she walked into the room. She gave Harry the hug of his life. “Don’t you _ever, ever_ do that again, you hear me?”

“Of course, Mom.” Harry laughed, hugging the woman back tightly.

“I’m so glad to see you in good health. It’s simply astounding.” Lucius said.

“Magic does that to a person.” Harry said sheepishly, a hand on his neck.

For the next thirty minutes, Harry visited with Lucius and Narcissa while Scorpius had fallen asleep on Harry’s bed.

“Well, I believe that our time is up. I’ve got planning to do, you see.”

“Planning for what?” Draco asked.

“For the family reunion, of course.” Narcissa smiled. “It’s been eight years. That certainly calls for a grand party, does it not?”

“You just like to plan parties, Mother.” Draco laughed.

She stuck her nose in the air. “Perhaps, but this is a good excuse. We love you boys. Do come visit when you leave, Harry.”

Harry nodded.

“Draco.”

“Yeah?” Draco was staring at Harry, still weary on the fact that he was 100% better, when just yesterday he had been in critical condition.

“I’m scared.”

“To face your parents?”

“Yeah.”

“They’re so excited to see you again, Harry.”

“They don’t hate me?”

“Could you ever hate Scorpius?”

“No.”

Draco smiled, and grabbed his hand. “Exactly. I should warn you. I showed them, Sirius and Remus, and Ron and Hermione the memories of the past eight years.”

Harry’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yeah. I’ll go get them.” Harry nodded, a terrified look still in his eyes. Draco leaned down and kissed him. “It’ll be fine. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Draco returned with James and Lily following.

“Harry!” Lily cried, falling to her knees at his bedside. “Harry, Harry, Harry.” She chanted his name over and over, while James stood beside her and gazed at his son.

“Er…Hi,” He said.

Draco began to laugh, causing Lily to stop crying. “Seriously, Potter? It’s been eight fucking years and you said ‘hi?’” Draco continued to laugh, James joining in. “That’s the most Harry thing I’ve ever seen you do.” Lily had started to laugh, following Harry and the four of them woke Scorpius up.

“Shh.” He said. “’m tryin to ‘leep.” He rubbed his eyes, efficiently quieting the adults down.

Draco stroked Scorpius’s hair, and smiled. “Sorry, bud. Go back to sleep.”

Lily suddenly took her wand out, and cast a silencing spell. “It’ll keep the sound out.” She explained to Draco, who nodded.

“Harry, it’s so good, so so good, to see you again, Son.” James said, joining his wife on the ground. Draco took a seat across the room and left them to their devices.

“I’m so sorry.” Harry said suddenly, tears welling up again. “I’m so, so, so, sorry. I understand if you hate me. I’m sorry I never told you I was okay. I’m sorry you weren’t at our wedding, I’m sorry I left, I’m sorry I ever started drinking. I’m so sorry.”

“Harry.” Lily said, grabbing her son’s face in her hands. “We could never, I mean _never_ hate you, you understand me? We love you so much. We accept all of your apologies, you understand?” Harry nodded, and Lily rested her forehead against Harry’s. “We love you so much.”

“Besides, if you hadn’t started drinking, you might have never met Draco.”

“I disagree. I think they would have met, eventually. Can’t you see their auras? They’re soulmates.”

“We are?” Draco asked, smiling.

Harry looked at Draco and smiled through his tears. “I love you. I love you all so much. I’m so sorry.”

“Stop apologizing, son. The past is the past. We all make mistakes; we could all do something different. It’s all okay now.” Harry nodded.

The family of three caught up for several hours.

“Where are Sirius and Remus? Ron and Hermione?”

“We agreed that it would be best if they didn’t come today. They’re planning on coming tomorrow.” Lily said, she hadn’t stopped running her hand through Harry’s hair. “Unfortunately, Maria is not able to get out of school.  She’s taking her NEWTS. She’s out in a week, however.”

Harry nodded. “How is Teddy?”

“He’s eleven now. He’s attending Hogwarts next year.” James informed.

“Ron and Hermione have two children.” Lily began. “Rose is five and Hugo is three.”

“They finally got married? Thank God.” Harry chuckled.

“Ginny married Neville. They have three children.” Lily hesitated here. “Alexander turns nine in a few months, Desirae is four and Rachel is three.”

“Nine?” Harry asked. “But…”

“Yeah.” James said.

“What?” Draco asked.

James cleared his throat. “Uhm well.”

“Draco, when I was high you know how I said I would have unprotected sex with you?” Draco nodded. “That wasn’t a new thing. When I was with Ginny I did too. I guess one time, she conceived. Wow. Fuck.” Harry said. “Does she hate me?”

“You had unprotected sex?” Lily exclaimed.

“Only with Draco and Ginny. I wasn’t a total idiot.” Harry rolled his eyes. “Does Ginny hate me?”

“Does she want child support? We can pay child support.” Draco said.

“No, she doesn’t hate you, and that is something you would have to talk to her about. She and Neville live a very stable life and he has raised Alexander as his own. His full name is Alexander James, however.” James informed the two.

“I’m a piece of shit.” Harry laughed pinching the bridge of his nose.

“You are no such thing.” Lily scolded.

“On a lighter note,” Draco began. “The baby is still coming along nicely.”

“Oh God. Where is Pansy?”

Again, as if on cue, a distinctly loud knocking was heard, to which Blaise scolded from the other side. “Stop, it Pansy. We’re in a fucking hospital.”

Draco laughed. “I told them too.”

“Man, I hope we don’t break the Statute of Secrecy.” Lily said.

“I got it approved. She is their surrogate, after all.”

“DRACO! LET ME IN!”

Draco opened the door and was barreled down by Pansy. “Harry! My sweet, sweet Harry! I’m so glad you’re okay! I can’t believe you didn’t tell us about your secret!” She said, her tone changing immediately as she slapped him on the shoulder.

“Ow!” he said. “Legally, I couldn’t. You only know now because my Dad pulled some strings.” He trailed off.

“Still.” She pouted, a hand rubbing her belly. “The baby is moving.” She grabbed his hand and put it on her stomach.

“’Lo, Harry.” Blaise said.

“You know, Ron and Hermione are going to be pissed right off when they find out you were allowed here before them.” Harry said.

“Who said we were allowed?” Blaise smirked.

                                                                                                …

Harry was frantically searching his house for the missing diaper bag. He had turned the entire place over twice and _still_ couldn’t find the wretched thing.

“DRACO!” He finally called.

“What?” He said from behind Harry, the bag in his hand.

“Where the hell was that?”

“The bathroom.”

“Wh-You know, I don’t even want to know. Are you ready? Is Amelia ready? You put her in the dress that Molly sent, right? Is Scorpius dressed?”

“Yes, Harry. We are all ready. Everything is in the bag, Amelia is wearing the dress and she is as fussy as ever, and Scorpius is ready to go. If we don’t leave now, the cookies will be gone.”

“Do you have-“

“The yogurt snacks? Yes, I have them and the rice bites. Let’s go.”

Harry nodded his approval and went to fetch Scorpius and the sleeping baby. He sent Scorpius downstairs to put his shoes on and lifted the three month old out of the bassinet. The baby fussed a bit, but her eyes remained closed. The baby, born on September 1st, 2016, was born with a full head of thick black curls. Her eyes had just started to turn from the foggy grey, but they seemed like they were actually leaning towards Pansy’s blue eyes. (The biological father, easily determined at birth, was Harry. And Draco was still bitter about it.

 _“I can’t believe that_ your _sperm was better than my obviously superior sperm.”_

_“Shut up.” Harry said as he gazed at the baby.)_

“Hey sweetie.” Harry whispered and laid a kiss on the girl’s head.

“Harry!” Draco called. “What car are we taking?!”

Harry walked down the stairs, “Yours. The car seat and booster are already in there, aren’t they?”

“Yeah.” Draco said, ushering Scorpius out of the house.

                                                                                …

The family made it to the Malfoy residence thirty minutes before the start of the reunion, and yet Narcissa still scolded them for being late.

“I’ll go put the nappies in the bathroom.” Draco said. “Don’t pass her around too much yet. I don’t want to wake her.” Draco said, warning his mother about the sleeping infant.

“Yes, yes.” She said, gazing at the baby in her arms. “Come, Scorpius, want to help Grandma set up the desserts? You can have a cookie!” She said before Harry could say “no cookies.”

“You know, Mother,” Draco said, “The boy is only seven and yet he still has an unhealthy obsession with damned cookies.”

“No such thing!” Ron said from behind them. “Heya, Harry!” He said, pulling Harry into a hug and shaking Draco’s hand.

“Ron. Hermione.” Draco greeted, a smile on his face.

“Harry, hello! You’re looking well.” Hermione said as Harry kissed her cheek.

“I feel great too, I’m finally back to work, and with some slight mind altering I don’t have to face any questions about the injuries that I should still be healing from.” He laughed.

“That’s great. I heard you’re on your way to a promotion?”

“Yeah, actually. I should be promoted to board member the same week that Draco gets his medical license officially.”

“That’s amazing!” Hermione said.

“What is?” Neville asked.

“Harry!” Ginny exclaimed, hugging both him and Draco.

“Dad! Can I go get a cookie?” Desirae asked, tugging on Neville’s sleeve.

“No, not before dinner.” Ginny scolded. “Alex, come here! There are some people I would like you to meet.”

“I wish that we had that much control over the cookies that Scorpius ate.” Draco grumbled.

“Yeah, Mom? What is it?” Alex asked.

“Alex, this is your uncle Draco and your... Your biological father, Harry.” Ginny said.

“Hello.” Harry said crouching down to his height. He was meeting Alexander for the first time. You could definitely tell that Harry was his father. Alexander was almost the exact replica of Harry when he was eleven. Alexander, however, had his mother’s brown eyes, and her nose. He was cursed with the untamable Potter hair. “I’m Harry.” He said nervously.

Neville and Ginny had talked to Harry and Draco. Harry had insisted they not inform the boy. He didn’t want to interfere with their lives, he didn’t want to confuse the boy but Neville simply insisted. _“It’s your right to know him, Harry. I’ll still be his dad. It’s fine.”_

“Hi,” Alexander said. “So, what do I call you? Do I call you Dad?”

“Neville is your dad, Alex. You can call me that if you want. You can call me Harry if you want. It’s up to you. If you want to, ah, Draco and I have a spare room that you could stay in, occasionally.”

Alexander inspected Harry and Draco. “Okay.” He said. “Thanks, Pops.”

Harry beamed. “Now, I believe that Narcissa is giving out cookies.” Harry whispered loudly.

Alex ran off, his eyes wide, and ran into the kitchen. “God, Harry. No wonder all Scorpius does is eat cookies, you let him!” Draco scolded.

“He’s fine.” Harry stood and hugged Neville. “Thank you.” He said. “Thank you for being there for Ginny and him. I’m sorry that ‘m such a fuck up. And thank you for letting me be a part of his life.”

“You’re not a fuck up, Harry.” Neville hugged Harry back. “And of course. I would hope that you would do the same for me.”

“Of course.” Harry said, leaving the hug.

“Dad!” Scorpius called, causing every dad in the room to turn, only to turn around again when they realized it wasn’t their son.

“Yeah, bud?”

“Maria is demanding that you come see her this second!” Scorpius yelled from the kitchen.

Harry smiled at the group, and walked toward the kitchen. “And where is Maria?”

“Right here, you twat.” She said from behind him. “Put on these robes, we’re having a match.” She smiled. “Of course, I expect a hug first.”

Harry hugged his little sister tightly. “How is the training? You’re working under Snape, right?”

“Yeah, it’s great. I don’t know why you never got on with him. He’s a great professor, and master.”

“I’m shit at potions.” He said.

“True.” She replied. “I’m going to get Ron and Fred and George and Ginny. Find Moony and Paddy, would ya?”

Harry nodded, and began his search for his Godfathers, eventually finding them kissing under one of the trees in the Malfoy’s backyard.

“Oh for chrissake.” Harry said, rubbing his eyes. “Put on your robes, we’re having a match.”

He began to walk away but was stopped by Sirius engulfing him in a hug. “Heya, Prongslet.”

“Padfoot, do you have to call me that?”

“It’s payback for leaving us.” Sirius smirked, rubbing his knuckles on Harry’s head.

“Hey, Harry.” Remus smiled, hugging the man when Sirius finally let go. “How are the kids?”

“Crazy, as per usual. Amelia is growing like a weed. She was so skinny when she was born, and now she’s a pudge. She’s got fat rolls on her fat rolls.”

“She sure is precious.” Remus smiled.

“Yeah she is.” Harry gushed. “I love being a dad.”

“It’s the most rewarding thing.” Remus agreed.

“That, and being a Godfather.” Sirius said, throwing his arm over Harry’s shoulder.

“That too, I guess.” Remus laughed.

“Who is playing?” Sirius asked.

“I don’t know. Maria just told me to find you guys. She said she was going to find Ron, Ginny, Fred and George though. I assume Dad will as well, if he ever shows up.”

“I’m here, I’m here. Merlin. So impatient.” James said, pulling his Quidditch robes on. “Your mother is mad because I made her late. Again.”

“What for this time?” Remus asked.

“I wanted to sex her right.”

“Oh my GOD, Dad!”

“What?” James asked innocently.

“God.” Harry started to walk away, shaking his head and smiling, only to be stopped by Ron who tossed a broom at him.

“Put your robes on, Mate!” he said.

Harry did as he was told, and mounted the broom. For the first time in eight years, Harry played Quidditch with those he loved. Draco watched from the ground, cheering Harry on and wincing every time Harry would make a dangerous move. It was second nature to him, flying. The snitch was an added bonus, he thought as he caught it only twenty minutes into the game.

“Another one!” James demanded, throwing his goggles on the ground in petty anger. “I refuse to be beaten by my son who hasn’t played in eight years! Ginny, watch for the bloody snitch this time!”

“I can’t help it, Dad! Ron, Fred, George and I make one solid team!” He bragged.

“4 versus 4 isn’t fair!” Ginny called again. “We don’t have a beater, and you have two!”

“Maria is a splendid chaser though!” Ron called.

“Yeah!” Fred yelled. “Just because we strategize!”

“Yeah, pull your head out!” George yelled.

Harry smiled. He looked below him and gazed at Draco, a happy smile on his face.

Harry wouldn’t change anything for the world.

A sharp whistle broke through his thoughts, alerting him to the start of the game.

Harry let out a delighted laugh. He would never take life for granted again.

 


	4. Epilogue

…

Four years, and Two Months Later, February 2nd, 2021

…

Harry yawned, stretching his arms above his head. He rolled over to smile at Draco and was instead met with a little girl’s feet and a note that read:

                _Will be home around 9, got called in. Marcus didn’t answer._

_Love you,_

_Draco._

Harry smiled at the note, and reached over Amelia to grab his glasses from the end table. He rolled out of bed and tucked the girl in again, smiling as she snored softly.

He relieved his bladder, brushed his teeth, took a quick shower and then made his way down the hall, entering a room.

“Dada!” The toddler babbled from the cot he was in. Harry smiled, pushing the baby’s sweaty, dark brown locks out of his face, and lifted the two-year-old from the cot.

“Good morning, Orion. Are you going to help Daddy make brother some special birthday pancakes?”

The baby smiled at his father, reaching for his glasses, which were charmed to be smudge proof.

Harry walked downstairs and sat the baby in his play pen, where he eagerly began to walk around and talk to the toys in there.

Harry began to shuffle around the kitchen, his feet still warming up in his slippers from the cold kitchen tiles. He looked out the window and noticed that even more snow had accumulated on the ground outside, as was common in February.

He began making the pancakes, overloaded with chocolate chips, and eggs and bacon. It was Scorpius’s favorite meal, and Harry would make it on his birthday every year.

He checked his watch. 8:59 AM. As soon as he put his arm down, Draco walked into the kitchen, shivering.

“Good morning, Love.” Harry said, kissing him on the mouth. “I started a fire. Scorpius and Amelia should be up any moment now, and breakfast is nearly finished.”

Draco picked the baby up from the pen, and looked at Harry. “Sorry I left this morning. Marcus didn’t answer the call phone last night. Turns out he actually has chicken pox.”

“Damn, that sucks. It’s okay, by the way. Amelia was there with me.”

“Fada!” Orion squealed, pulling on Draco’s hair, who yelped in surprise, grabbing the baby’s fists.

“Yes, yes, I’m home. Let go.” He said, struggling with the baby.

“Morning.” Scorpius yawned, leading Amelia into the kitchen. Both of them were wearing their special Christmas pajamas from two months previous.

Amelia sat in her designated chair in the breakfast nook, and levitated a book to her.

“I’ll never understand how a four-year-old is able to control her magic so well…Typically, young witches and wizards are not in control. Like Orion.” Harry said, serving the kids their food.

Scorpius was silent, staring enviously at the book Amelia had levitated to her. The boy was the only one of his siblings to not have magic in his blood, and thus was the only one who was not magical. His eleventh birthday was the hardest one he was going to face, knowing that he wasn’t going to be able to attend school with the rest of his family.

“Good morning, Scorpius.” Harry said, kissing the boy on the head.

“Morning, Dad.” He smiled, breaking out of his stupor.

“Happy birthday.” Harry smiled, setting the whipped cream in front of the boy.

“Are you excited for your party this afternoon?” Draco asked.

“Yes!” Scorpius exclaimed, his mood instantly boosting at the prospect of a party in his honor. “Did you know that I asked Grandma Narcissa for a giant platter of cookies instead of a cake?”

“Good Lord, boy.”

“Her cookies are the best!” Scorpius defended himself.

“He’s right.” Amelia put in. “Gramma makes the best cookies.”

Draco rolled his eyes. “Whatever you want for your birthday.” Draco cut up the pancakes and placed some in front of Orion, who shoved them in his face and hair, syrup now covering his face.

                                                                                                …

The Malfoy-Potter family entered the Malfoy premises, immediately greeted by a copious amount of balloons, ribbons, and presents. Of course, this was all to be expected when you had Narcissa Malfoy planning your party, The Potters, The Lupins’, and all sects of the Weasley’s as a part of your family.

“Whoa!” Scorpius exclaimed.

“Yeah, no kidding.” Harry laughed.

“Harry, Draco! Scorpius!” Narcissa exclaimed. “You’re all late! All of the guests are already here!”

Draco checked his watch. “Mother, we’re twenty minutes early.”

“And everyone else was thirty minutes early, Draco.” She scolded.

“Why?”

“I don’t run their lives, Draco. Perhaps because they have a longer drive than you, they left earlier. Scorpius, dear. Come. Amelia, you may come as well. Would you like to lay Orion down?”

“No, he’s fine.” Harry smiled, rubbing the toddler’s back.

“Pansy and Blaise are here?” Draco asked.

“Yes, and she looks as pregnant as ever.”

“It’s about time she conceived her own child, I suppose.” Draco smiled. “I still want to try one more time for another kid for us.”

“No.” Harry laughed. “We don’t have time for that, Draco.”

Narcissa rolled her eyes, leading the two kids into the grand ballroom, where the party was being held.

“Happy Birthday!” Every guest shouted as Scorpius entered the room. Other than those that were attending Hogwarts, the entire family was here.

Scorpius was engulfed in an infinite amount of hugs, and it seemed like it would never end. He took it with grace, hugging each member of his family as close as he did the first. Amelia was standing to his side, a teddy bear tucked under her arm as she hugged the family as well.

“I can’t believe he’s eleven.” Lily said, wrapping her arm around Harry’s waist. “It seems like just yesterday I was meeting him for the first time.”

Harry smiled sadly. “I think he’s having a hard time with this birthday, Mom. He’s not bitter toward his siblings, by any means, but he is very disappointed that he won’t be attending Hogwarts with his cousins and siblings.”

Lily smiled. “He’ll be alright. He’s very strong.”

“Yes, he is.” Draco agreed. “Hello, Lily.” He said, kissing her on the cheek.

“Hello, son.” She said.

“You know what will never cease to amaze me about Scorpius?” Draco asked.

“What?” Hermione said.

“His imagination. He’ll always play in the back yard with Amelia, and though he can’t perform magic, he’ll take a stick and pretend like he can. He’s always had the wildest imagination.”

Harry nodded in agreement. “He used to talk to his stuffed animals. His favorite was the snake that I gave him when he was two, he would babble to that thing for days. I almost bought him a pet snake myself, you know. But at that point, I didn’t want to risk it because I didn’t want to risk getting caught in a conversation with it.” Harry laughed.

“What?” Draco asked. “Caught in conversation with a snake?”

“OH! I’ve never told you! There’s a skill that only a few wizards have. I think I’m the only one in years, honestly. Anyway, some wizards can talk to snakes. It’s called being a parselmouth. I guess it runs in the Potter blood, but I’m the first one in hundreds of years.”

“It caused a large amount of panic in our second year of school.” Hermione said, having joined them a few minutes before. “There was a giant snake, a basilisk that had been in a hidden basement of the castle. Anyway, rumors were flying that the basilisk was released and people blamed Harry. Of course, it was never released.”

“Interesting.” Draco said. “Scorpius used to tell me that he was talking to snakes, you know.”

“Well that was just his imagination, Draco. The chances of him being parselmouth are so slim that I couldn’t even begin to describe. It’s nearly a fluke that I’m one, let alone Scorpius, who doesn’t have any immediate magic in his blood.” Harry waved his hand. “That would be cool though.”

Draco was silent, watching as his son played with the other children.

                                                                                                …

There were tables scattered around the ballroom, all adorned with dinosaur balloons, and confetti. Harry, Draco, Lily, and Hermione sat together at one of them, watching as the kids played with some of the adults. A gaming system was set up, and James was competing with Ron and Scorpius to get the top score. Desirae and Rachel were being chased by Neville, Blaise was entertaining Daphne’s children and Rose and Hugo, Arthur was engaged in a heated discussion with Lucius about the progress of muggle technology (What is a ‘Myphone,’ Exactly?) Pansy was wobbling around, eating her weight in food (Don’t you judge me, Harry. I’m eating for two,) Fred and George were showing their new products to Maria and her boyfriend, using Sirius as a test subject while Remus watched with rapt interest. Ultimately, it was a crazy day.

“I’m not looking forward to the amount of presents that Scorpius is going to receive.” Harry frowned.

“Did you expect anything less?” Draco asked, bouncing Orion on his knee.

“Well, no. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

“Don’t worry, Harry. I’ll help you shrink them for transport.” Hermione patted his hand.

“Thanks, ‘Mione.”

“I wish I could do magic.” Draco said wistfully.

“It’s great.” Ron said, sitting down beside him and stuffing a finger sandwich down his throat.

Draco rolled his eyes. “I wish that Scorpius was able to, more than myself. I don’t want him to ever be bitter toward his siblings.”

“I don’t think he will be.” Lily said. “My sister was bitter to me, and she still only speaks to me occasionally. But Scorpius knows about magic and he still loves his siblings so much.”

“That’s true. Aunt Petunia is a nasty woman, though.” Harry shivered. “If I lived with her, I imagine I would have grown up in the cupboard under her stairs.”

“Harry.” Lily scolded.

James joined the party at the table, “I heard Tuney’s name mentioned.”

“I was just saying I would have grown up in the cupboard under the stairs if I had grown up with them.”

James thought about it for a second. “I think you’re not far off the mark, son.”

“James, that is my sister.”

“And she’s awful, Lils.”

Lily narrowed her eyes, but a smile was playing on her lips.

“Alright!” Narcissa called over the commotion of the party. “It is time for the birthday boy to blow out the candles! Scorpius, come sit at the head table, honey.”

Scorpius did as he was told, smiling as he made his way to the head table, sitting down in the makeshift throne.

                                                                                                …

_Happy Birthday to you,_

_Happy Birthday to you,_

_Happy birthday Dear Scorpius,_

_Happy Birthday to you!_

The giant plate of cookies- at least 200- was placed in front of me. The lights had all been turned off and the only source of light was the glow from the eleven candles.

My mouth was watering as I gazed at the melty, gooey, goodness that was the work of none other than my Grandma Narcissa. She really was the best cook. Aunt Molly was in second place.

“Make a wish!” Dad called. He was holding Orion in his arms, and struggling to fight the baby’s hands away from his glasses.

 _I wish…I wish that my family will always be happy._ I thought about wishing for magic, but it was too late for that.

I took a deep breath, and blew out the candles. The room suddenly went dark. It was ten seconds, not that I was counting, before the lights were turned on. As they were, the clock struck 3:33 PM. I was officially eleven years old.

Gasps were suddenly heard throughout the room. I followed the gaze of Uncle Ron and saw an owl.

“Calm down, kids. I’m sure it’s just a letter from the Ministry.” Grandpa James said, putting his arm out expectantly.

The owl didn’t stop on Grandpa James’ arm, and instead dropped a letter right on top of my plate of cookies. I reached for it, feeling the heavy material of wizarding parchment in my hand.

I turned the letter over and gasped, making eye contact with my dads.

I began to read aloud.

                _“Mister S, Malfoy-Potter_

_Head table, Birthday Party_

_Malfoy Manor_

_Wiltshire_

_England”_

My Dads were in shock. Well, everyone was in shock, including myself.

“I thought I wasn’t magic?!” I said, excitement leaking into my voice.

Dad had made his way to the table, followed by Aunt Hermione.

“Go on and open it.” Dad smiled at me. “Go on.”

_“HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,  
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Mr. Malfoy-Potter,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at_ _Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_ _. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

 _Term begins on_ _1 September_ _. We await your owl by no later than_ _31 July_ _._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall._

“I’m going to Hogwarts!” I yelled, pumping my fist into the air, “I’m a wizard!”

My family suddenly began to clap for me, some of them crying, Mostly my Grandmas and Aunt Pansy. Dad a little bit, but I would never tell him I saw him cry. He would be mad.

“Scorpius.” Father said, a hand on my shoulder. “Congratulations, son. But I have a question for you.”

“Yeah?”

“Can you talk to snakes?”

I looked at my father. “I don’t know. I always thought I could but I think that was just me pretending?”

 _“Can you understand me?”_ Dad asked.

I looked at him, raising an eyebrow _“Of course I can. I speak English after all.”_

“Oh my god.” someone said.

“Merlin’s pants!” Uncle Ron yelled. “He’s a bloody parselmouth!”

“What?” I looked at my dad, confusion clouding over my happiness. “Is that bad? Am I in trouble?”

“God, no son.” Harry beamed. “You have a skill that you should be very proud of.”

“What is it?”

“You can speak to snakes.”

“What? You’re having me.”

“No, I’m not. We always assumed that you didn’t have magic because you never had magic manifest-,”

“Does that mean I’m weak?”

“N0, no no no. Uncle Neville didn’t have magic manifest either, bud.” Aunty Ginny said.

“Anyway, son. Because you never had magic manifest as what we’re used to and since your father is a muggle, we just assumed you were too. It’s not an unfair assumption you see.” I nodded my head in agreement. “We over looked how your magic _was_ manifesting. You can talk to snakes.”

“We overlooked it because you always had such a good imagination, Scorpius.” Father said.

“So I’ve been magic this whole time?! This whole time, the conversations I’ve had with snakes have been real?”

“Since I never heard you speak to them, I had no idea.” Dad said.

“Perhaps you should get him a pet snake after all, Harry.” Aunt Hermione laughed.

“I suppose.” Dad smiled. “What do you think, Draco?”

“Well, it says here that you can’t take snakes to Hogwarts. I don’t want a snake threating me in my home, Harry.”

“I can speak to them as well, you know. I would be able to control it while Scorp is at Hogwarts.”

I smiled up at my Dads. “Hogwarts. I’m going to _Hogwarts._ ”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here it is! I hope you liked it!


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